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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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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Recent Examples of demoralize
Trump's comments inspired some Jan. 6 defendants to ask judges for delays in court action, spurred some to lobby for reprieves, demoralized some police officers injured in the attack and threatened a political brawl over the potential for turning loose people convicted of seditious conspiracy.
—
Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2025
The combination of Project 2025's prescription for NOAA, along with news reports of coming, steep staff cuts — so far unsubstantiated — has left the agency's staff demoralized.
—Andrew Freedman, Axios, 12 Feb. 2025
Such dominance on the glass sets a tone of physicality and demoralizes the opponent.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Unfortunately, our entire national ideology is predicated on coddling the feelings of women and minorities, and demoralizing competent white men.
—Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demoralize
Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2025
The combination of Project 2025's prescription for NOAA, along with news reports of coming, steep staff cuts — so far unsubstantiated — has left the agency's staff demoralized.
—Andrew Freedman, Axios, 12 Feb. 2025
Such dominance on the glass sets a tone of physicality and demoralizes the opponent.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Unfortunately, our entire national ideology is predicated on coddling the feelings of women and minorities, and demoralizing competent white men.
—Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demoralize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demoralize
Verb
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The shooting left dozens wounded, including an 8-year-old boy who was partially paralyzed.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
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During one of the most severe outbreaks in 1952, the virus infected 58,000 people in the US, paralyzed more than 21,000 and killed more than 3,100.—
Neha Mukherjee,
CNN,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Trump wanted to discourage DEI efforts by corporations and others.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2025
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None of the other 23 states that allow initiatives, most in the Midwest and West, go so far out of their way to discourage them.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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No, Trump Did Not ‘Bring Back Free Speech’ An August 2024 report by Columbia’s task force on antisemitism found that Jews and Israelis at Columbia were often ostracized and humiliated on campus.—
Solcyré Burga,
TIME,
7 Mar. 2025
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Committee Chairman James Comer will use the hearing to humiliate blue-city mayors and to please the White House and fire up his extremist MAGA base.—
Peter Cunningham,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Antonio Reyes, a 21-year-old police say shot and killed six people as a teenager, is behind bars but remains a terror, intimidating guards and attempting to kill fellow inmates.—
Michael Loria,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
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But, after an eight-year hiatus, teeing off in front of people was intimidating.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Struggling to adapt to announcements regarding trade, and whether to treat them as threats that may not evolve into policy, has frustrated Hassane El-Khoury, CEO of ON Semiconductor.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
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The use of generic, impersonal responses frustrates customers.—
Rob Lancit,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The other reason is that our news ecosystem is rapidly degrading, particularly online.—
Jeffrey Blehar,
National Review,
7 Mar. 2025
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Globalstar, on the other hand, claims that opening up the 1.6GHz and 2.4GHz bands to other companies risks generating interference with its own satellite systems, potentially degrading the satellite connectivity for iPhones.—
Michael Kan,
PCMAG,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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On the streets, conservative protesters, frightened that the left could win the next election, have rallied to Yoon.—
ROBERT E. KELLY,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Feb. 2025
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That frightened stray kitten forgot her fears and moved up on that ball of paper and batted it across the floor and then batted it again.—
Carole Wendt,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In the fourth quarter of 2024, WK Kellogg reported net sales of $640 million, a decrease of 1.7% compared to $651 million in the same period in 2023, impacted by a 5.6% volume decline and a 40 basis point headwind from the weakening Canadian dollar.—
Joe Cornell,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
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Fed officials are closely monitoring inflation and the labor market for signs of a potentially weakening economy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Demoralize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demoralize. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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