1
as in to frustrate
to lessen the courage or confidence of
I didn't let losing discourage me from trying again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to dissuade
to steer (a person) from an activity or course of action
the higher fines may help discourage drivers from speeding on the highway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of discourage
In parts of the Grand Canyon, temperatures could reach up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, and all physical activity is discouraged between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
—
Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Despite initially being discouraged by South Bay schools, artificial intelligence use grew rapidly in the past school year.
—Lauren Uppal, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
The first challenge was that the use of spirometers, devices used to measure lung function, was discouraged or prohibited due to the risk of COVID transmission.
—New Atlas, 11 July 2025
Mennonite churches do not formally discourage vaccination, though more conservative Mennonite communities historically have low vaccination rates and a distrust of government.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for discourage
Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Despite initially being discouraged by South Bay schools, artificial intelligence use grew rapidly in the past school year.
—Lauren Uppal, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
The first challenge was that the use of spirometers, devices used to measure lung function, was discouraged or prohibited due to the risk of COVID transmission.
—New Atlas, 11 July 2025
Mennonite churches do not formally discourage vaccination, though more conservative Mennonite communities historically have low vaccination rates and a distrust of government.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for discourage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discourage
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
-
The presence of heavily armed Iranian proxies did not dissuade Israel from striking: Lebanese Hezbollah stayed on the sidelines when Israel launched its attack on Iran.—
Gershom Gorenberg,
The Atlantic,
11 July 2025
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White House officials say there isn’t an active effort underway to try and remove Powell, a longstanding Trump fixation that advisers have dissuaded him from pursuing due to significant concerns over legal constraints and market reaction.—
Phil Mattingly,
CNN Money,
11 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
-
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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The incident does not appear to have deterred Richard from doing more experiments.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
15 July 2025
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Located in an idle airstrip near the Big Cypress National Preserve that the DeSantis administration seized from Miami-Dade County using emergency powers, the detention facility is surrounded by wild life and wild lands, which officials have joked could deter undocumented immigrants from escaping.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Don’t be daunted by official terms and names in the mattress world—they’re actually pretty straightforward.—
Julia Forbes,
Wired News,
27 June 2025
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But the law is not only harmful in its use: The mere threat of a CEQA lawsuit is enough to stifle new housing developments since such suits can add substantial time, cost and risk for builders who already face daunting construction costs.—
Daniel Yost,
Mercury News,
16 June 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
Cite this Entry
“Discourage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discourage. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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