discourage
A discourager is someone or something that makes you lose confidence or enthusiasm for doing something.
When we talk about discarding ideas or plans because they seem too difficult or impossible, it's often said that a particular person or event discouraged us. Imagine you've been planning to start a new business, but every time you try to make progress, people around you say things like "You'll never succeed" or "It's just not worth the risk." These negative comments can be discouraging and make you want to give up on your idea. Even when it's not people saying bad things, sometimes circumstances can discourage us too - like when a project faces unexpected problems or setbacks that seem insurmountable.
How common is "discourage"?
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
noun
Lack of courage
verb
To extinguish the courage of; to dishearten; to depress the spirits of; to deprive of confidence; to deject.
Example: Don't be discouraged by the amount of work left to do: you'll finish it in good time.
Real examples of "discourage" in context
