discourage

4 definitions • 7 examples

to make someone feel less confident, enthusiastic, and positive about something, or less willing to do something:

The thought of how much work she had to do discouraged her.

to prevent or try to prevent something happening or someone doing something, by making things difficult or unpleasant, or by showing disapproval:

a campaign to discourage people from smoking

The authorities have put tanks on the streets to discourage any protest.

to cause someone to feel less confident or less hopeful:

She sometimes got discouraged about her social life, which was going nowhere, she felt.

to try to prevent something from happening or someone from doing something, or to have the effect of making something less likely:

We tried to discourage him from spending so much money.

Higher taxes could discourage business investment.

The tough competition discourages many athletes from making a serious attempt to make the Olympic team.