discouraging
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dis·cour·age
(dĭ-skûr′ĭj, -skŭr′-)tr.v. dis·cour·aged, dis·cour·ag·ing, dis·cour·ag·es
1. To deprive of confidence, hope, or spirit: Making so little progress after so much effort discouraged us.
2. To dissuade or deter (someone) from doing something: My adviser discouraged me from applying to big universities.
3. To try to prevent by expressing disapproval or raising objections: The agency discouraged all travel to the areas hardest hit by the disease.
[Middle English discoragen, from Old French descoragier : des-, dis- + corage, courage; see courage.]
dis·cour′age·a·ble adj.
dis·cour′ag·er n.
dis·cour′ag·ing·ly adv.
Synonyms: discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit
These verbs mean to make less hopeful or enthusiastic: researchers who were discouraged by the problem's magnitude; apathy that disheartened the instructor; did not let the technical difficulties dismay them; a failure that dispirited the team.
These verbs mean to make less hopeful or enthusiastic: researchers who were discouraged by the problem's magnitude; apathy that disheartened the instructor; did not let the technical difficulties dismay them; a failure that dispirited the team.
Antonym: encourage
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
discouraging
(dɪsˈkʌrɪdʒɪŋ)adj
causing a loss of confidence and determination
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
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Adj. | 1. | discouraging - depriving of confidence or hope or enthusiasm and hence often deterring action; "where never is heard a discouraging word" unhelpful - providing no assistance hopeless - without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success; "in an agony of hopeless grief"; "with a hopeless sigh he sat down" dissuasive - deterring from action; "dissuasive advice"; "made a slight dissuasive gesture with her hand" encouraging - giving courage or confidence or hope; "encouraging advances in medical research" |
2. | discouraging - expressing disapproval dissuasive - deterring from action; "dissuasive advice"; "made a slight dissuasive gesture with her hand" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
discouraging
adjective disheartening, disappointing, depressing, daunting, dampening, unfavourable, off-putting (Brit. informal), dispiriting, unpropitious We have had a discouraging response to our appeal.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
discouraging
[dɪsˈkʌrɪdʒɪŋ] ADJ → desalentadorhe was discouraging about it → habló de ello en tono pesimista
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
discouraging
adj → entmutigend; he was rather discouraging about her chances → er äußerte sich ziemlich entmutigend über ihre Chancen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995