Synonyms for discouragement
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Dismay
2. Despondency
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
The loss of confidence or enthusiasm.
- n. 2
The act of discouraging.
Forms
- Plural
- discouragements → disheartenments, despondencies, despairs, dejections…
Choose the right word
Discouragement is the result of so much repulse or failure as wears out courage.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- dismay To my dismay, he was caught cheating in the examination.
- despair Tom was in absolute despair when his dog ran away.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| discouragement | falling | |
| dismay | rising | |
| disheartenment | rising | |
| despair | rising | |
| despondency | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 6 letters
- dismay2, damper2
- 7 letters
- despair2
- 9 letters
- dejection
- 10 letters
- depression3
- 11 letters
- despondency4
- 14 letters
- disheartenment
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (dismay2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- découragement
- Italiano
- scoraggiamento
- Español
- desaliento