1
as in to paralyze
to deprive of courage or confidence
the mere sight of the forbidding cliffs demoralized the climbers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to discourage
to lessen the courage or confidence of
we refused to be demoralized by our humiliating defeat and vowed to come roaring back the following week
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to humiliate
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
felt society as a whole has been demoralized by the widespread availability of pornography
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demoralize
Most teens feel like they’re not being heard when trying to get their point across to their parents, which can be demoralizing.
—
Mark Travers, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
The incident was nothing short of perverse: Israel targeted and killed people trying to make a dent in the imminent famine that Israel itself has engineered as part of its strategy to demoralize and destroy, in whole or in part*, the Palestinian population.
—Longreads, 18 Dec. 2024
This will demoralize war-weary Ukrainians, desperate for a lasting cease-fire and final settlement.
—Niall Ferguson, The Atlantic, 10 Dec. 2024
Some take medical leave and never return, haunted by the traumas of war and demoralized by bleak prospects for victory.
—Samya Kullab and Volodymyr Yurchuk, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for demoralize 
Mark Travers, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
The incident was nothing short of perverse: Israel targeted and killed people trying to make a dent in the imminent famine that Israel itself has engineered as part of its strategy to demoralize and destroy, in whole or in part*, the Palestinian population.
—Longreads, 18 Dec. 2024
This will demoralize war-weary Ukrainians, desperate for a lasting cease-fire and final settlement.
—Niall Ferguson, The Atlantic, 10 Dec. 2024
Some take medical leave and never return, haunted by the traumas of war and demoralized by bleak prospects for victory.
—Samya Kullab and Volodymyr Yurchuk, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for demoralize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demoralize
Verb
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Its venom, potent enough to kill an elephant, is a cocktail of neurotoxins that can paralyze muscles and shut down vital systems in a matter of hours.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
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Travel was paralyzed along the Interstate 10 corridor with portions already receiving widespread snowfall totals of 3 to 6 inches.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Economists warn mass deportation will likely harm U.S. workers and the economy by discouraging investment, disrupting the labor market and reducing the supply of workers.—
Stuart Anderson,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
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Miami Beach officials have sought to discourage homeless people from gathering on Lincoln Road, including by deactivating electrical outlets to prevent people from charging their phones.—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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My neighbor invited me to dinner, then humiliated me in front of the other women Miss Manners: Strangers keep telling me distressing stories.—
Judith Martin,
The Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2025
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The Ravens, particularly bruising runner Derrick Henry, humiliated the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night.—
Tim Graham,
The Athletic,
13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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For the uninitiated, dragon fruit can be intimidating.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Jan. 2025
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Frame Criticisms Constructively Delivering critical feedback or raising concerns can be intimidating, but CEOs value honesty when it’s delivered thoughtfully.—
Chiara Alzati,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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Keeping your phone fully charged or fully discharging the battery will degrade it slightly faster, and regularly swinging between full and empty will shorten its life.—
Julian Chokkattu,
WIRED,
19 Jan. 2025
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Moreover, Trump’s penchant for degrading the reputation of those around him will likely frustrate efforts by Vance to re-elevate his office.—
Roy Brownell,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Where another artist might rely on grotesque specifics to frighten the reader, Mignola’s insinuating expanses of black ink conceal all but the most necessary details of a rich and malevolent world, filled with monstrosities, yes, but also oddities, many of them delightful.—
Sam Thielman,
New York Times,
20 Jan. 2025
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As the devastating wildfires began to sweep across Los Angeles on Jan. 7, frightened residents were not turning to Netflix.—
Stephen Battaglio,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Jan. 2025
Verb
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However, critics worry bringing minority parties into the majority tent weakens legislative scrutiny.—
Charlie Campbell,
TIME,
22 Jan. 2025
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With rising conflicts and weakened diplomacy, the global order is set to fragment in 2025, intensifying economic volatility.—
Sarwant Singh,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near demoralize
Cite this Entry
“Demoralize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demoralize. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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