DISCOURAGE Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

discourage

verb

di-ˈskər-ij

Definition of discourage

as in to frustrate

to lessen the courage or confidence of I didn't let losing discourage me from trying again

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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.

Recent Examples of discourage In combination products naloxone is included primarily to discourage certain forms of misuse. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026 At the same time, government officials have cast doubt on the safety of vaccines, further discouraging vaccination. — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 As a result, harsher sanctions for women leaders when things go wrong can discourage women from seeking those roles in the first place. — Laura Clawson, JSTOR Daily, 28 Aug. 2026 And the brouhaha over Piker’s singling out of Democratic House candidate Jeremy Moss on his livestream discouraged Moss from endorsing El-Sayed. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for discourage

Recent Examples of Synonyms for discourage

Verb

Conservative political analyst Melik Abdul agreed with Tindell, telling CNN as a Black Mississippi native he has been frustrated by how Crump has zeroed in on race in the Wells case.

— Ryan Young, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Jolly has pitched himself to voters as someone offering a tent for Floridians who are independents, Republicans and Democrats frustrated with the status quo of a political zeitgeist that prioritizes polarization and stokes riots rather than uniting.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of frustrate

Verb

Voting rights advocates argue that requirements to present birth certificates or passports in order to register to vote is intended to make voting more difficult, to dissuade some people from voting at all.

— Todd Spangler, Freep.com, 4 Sep. 2026
The specter of the lockout may dissuade owner Bob Nutting from making major changes this offseason.

— Andy McCullough, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of dissuade

Verb

The Basij boosted its presence during the war, and hard-liners have held nightly rallies in Tehran and other cities, drumming up support and intimidating any possible dissenters.

— Lee Keath, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Civil rights organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union accused the department of attempting to intimidate the public by arming agents with another use-of-force option.

— Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of intimidate

Verb

Around Paris, Toulouse and Marseilles, local policies that deter suburban sprawl and promote new housing in city centers have slowed expansion of outer suburbs, a recent study found.

— Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Despite their apparent effectiveness at deterring speeding, cities have been slow to embrace rest in red.

— Jeff McMurray, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of deter

Verb

For Monaco, attention now turns to the daunting prospect of Paris Saint-Germain away on Friday.

— Tom Burrows, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Given that the project is discussed in terms of atomic bombs, and given that grassroots opposition to data centers appears to have permeated every region of the country, such a project might seem daunting, if not impossible, to many developers.

— Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of daunt

Verb

The aggressive approach deeply disrupted and frightened the participants.

— Kimmie Gordon, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Penelope, too, is asked to occupy a landscape that frightens her, not only as a neurodivergent child in a neurotypical culture, but as a child now situated in an adult world.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of frighten

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discounts

discourage

discouraged

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“Discourage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discourage. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of discourage

verb

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