1
as in to paralyze
to deprive of courage or confidence
the mere sight of the forbidding cliffs demoralized the climbers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to discourage
to lessen the courage or confidence of
we refused to be demoralized by our humiliating defeat and vowed to come roaring back the following week
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to humiliate
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
felt society as a whole has been demoralized by the widespread availability of pornography
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demoralize
And so is the season, really, if that doesn’t somehow change soon … and they’re left staring at the demoralizing prospect of being sellers rather than buyers at the July 31 trade deadline.
—
Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 27 June 2025
The Mets’ malaise stretched into a second straight series sweep, this time a more demoralizing one to the division rival Atlanta Braves.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Coen predicted Richardson's address would further demoralize the staff.
—Leah Douglas, USA Today, 10 May 2025
Crime rates had been rising exponentially since the 1960s; now, with the NYPD diminished and demoralized, untold numbers of assaults, robberies, and property crimes went unreported, while open-air drug markets operated with relative impunity in many parts of the city.
—Rolling Stone, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for demoralize
Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 27 June 2025
The Mets’ malaise stretched into a second straight series sweep, this time a more demoralizing one to the division rival Atlanta Braves.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Coen predicted Richardson's address would further demoralize the staff.
—Leah Douglas, USA Today, 10 May 2025
Crime rates had been rising exponentially since the 1960s; now, with the NYPD diminished and demoralized, untold numbers of assaults, robberies, and property crimes went unreported, while open-air drug markets operated with relative impunity in many parts of the city.
—Rolling Stone, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for demoralize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demoralize
Verb
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House Republicans, paralyzed by internal fighting over the Jeffrey Epstein files, will embark early for a lengthy summer recess later this week after canceling votes on Thursday.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
22 July 2025
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With the House floor paralyzed, House GOP leaders announced on Tuesday that the chamber is leaving for a five-week district work period a day earlier than expected.—
Lauren Peller,
ABC News,
22 July 2025
Verb
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To discourage ants from returning, inspect new plants, use a sticky barrier, or create a moat.—
Anne Readel,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 July 2025
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Get rid of brush piles, which may discourage them from hanging around to forage, says Pierce. Consider using grub control products on your lawn.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
18 July 2025
Verb
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Over 24 cycles, the show humiliated hundreds of young, naïve women (and, briefly, men) in the name of entertainment.—
Emily Palmer Heller,
Vulture,
9 July 2025
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Soldatov said that along this path was the 2008 war in Georgia, which showed the Russian army would not be humiliated anymore.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Goalkeepers can intimidate strikers into poor shooting decisions with a good stare-down.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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Cycling shoes can be intimidating—particularly the idea of wearing something that locks your feet right to your bike’s pedals.—
Jennifer Heimlich,
SELF,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Huda then confided in Amaya, claiming the chain of events the night before went a bit differently than was shown, but she, too, was frustrated.—
Breanne L. Heldman,
People.com,
14 July 2025
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Herman was particularly frustrated with Comcast upload speeds, which are much slower than the cable service's download speeds.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Metal can tarnish or degrade when exposed to humidity, and many materials degrade when exposed to cardboard that isn't acid-free.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
19 July 2025
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In the last year, Israel has managed to significantly degrade the capabilities of its adversaries, particularly Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and its June conflict with Iran – with the help of the U.S. – was widely seen as having dealt a significant blow to Tehran’s abilities to harm the Jewish state.—
Natasha Turak,
CNBC,
18 July 2025
Verb
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Stink bugs tend to drop when frightened, so fill a cup with soapy water and hold it under the stink bug.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
19 July 2025
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What starts as a simple favor to keep her great-niece turns into a wild Halloween night filled with jump scares and pranks — but as usual, nothing frightens her more than bad manners and disrespect. Boo 2!—
Jane LaCroix,
People.com,
13 July 2025
Verb
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This weakens their ability to educate, create, and grow.—
Miguel Cardona,
Time,
21 July 2025
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This could help verify recent findings from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) that suggest this strange force is actually weakening over time.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
20 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Demoralize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demoralize. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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