dishearten 1 of 2

disheartenment

2 of 2

noun

as in despair
the state of being discouraged our excusable disheartenment in the face of overwhelming odds against winning the game

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples 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 dishearten
Verb
The theft was indicative of a disheartening trend unfolding across the United States; other Nativity scenes had been looted that year, including displays in Tennessee, West Virginia and Minnesota. John Otis, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2024 Donte Mills, a lawyer representing Neely's family, said at a news conference that he was disheartened by the verdict Monday, as supporters held up a picture of Neely dressed as Jackson. Janelle Griffith, NBC News, 9 Dec. 2024 The defense hung tough for much of the afternoon, giving the team at least one positive to take away from a disheartening loss. Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 17 Nov. 2024 He was disheartened hearing that McBride was specifically being targeted in the effort to restrict bathrooms. Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 23 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dishearten 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dishearten
Verb
  • Obama and his inner circle discouraged Biden from running for president in 2016, opting to prop up then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton instead.
    Elaine Mallon, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 8 Jan. 2025
  • And some longtime women's hoops stars have denounced certain supporters of Clark and discouraged them from following the sport.
    Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Antonio scored an early opener and Jarrod Bowen was denied from close range shortly after, with Moyes falling to the ground in despair.
    Roshane Thomas, The Athletic, 1 Jan. 2025
  • Carter later credited that sacrifice for pulling him from his despair and eventually leading him to found The Carter Presidential Center -- a multifaceted nonprofit aimed at promoting human rights, with missions as varied as election monitoring and eradicating parasitic diseases.
    Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • And with all the investigative resources and research methods of academia, I have been frustrated by the death of expertise on social media platforms that value high-frequency reactions and often baseless punditry—not rigor.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The most recent deadline extensions weren’t announced until the day before the vouchers were set to expire, which frustrated him.
    Nora O’Neill, Charlotte Observer, 17 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Fans of the show shared their dismay at Nease's answer on social media.
    Latoya Gayle, People.com, 3 Jan. 2025
  • It was announced in September that Lamar would headline the Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans — much to the dismay of rappers who said Lil Wayne should have been given the gig as a hometown favorite.
    Char Adams, NBC News, 27 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near dishearten

Cite this Entry

“Dishearten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dishearten. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dishearten

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!