dispirit

verb

dis·​pir·​it (ˌ)di-ˈspir-ət How to pronounce dispirit (audio)
-ˈspi-rət
dispirited; dispiriting; dispirits

transitive verb

: to deprive of morale or enthusiasm
dispirited adjective
dispiritedly adverb
dispiritedness noun

Examples of dispirit in a Sentence

dispirited by the overwhelming amount of information needed to write the report
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The outcome ended what had been a dispiriting history for Maryland (25-7). Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 15 Mar. 2025 No Other Land is a living document of a people being systematically erased, as well as a cry for intervention, one that grows more hopeless and dispirited as the film goes on. Joe Reid, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025 If blowout losses and dispiriting performances characterized the 2023-24 Sharks season, the team’s 2024-25 season has been pockmarked by heartbreak, with an almost uncanny ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025 The lengthy injury report is really dispiriting, with Dallas also down Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II and midseason acquisition Caleb Martin. Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dispirit

Word History

Etymology

dis- + spirit

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dispirit was in 1647

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dispirit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dispirit. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

dispirit

verb
dis·​pir·​it (ˈ)dis-ˈpir-ət How to pronounce dispirit (audio)
: to deprive of cheerful spirit : dishearten
dispiritedly adverb
dispiritedness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dispirit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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