discourager


dis·cour·age

D0260600 (dĭ-skûr′ĭj, -skŭr′-)tr.v. dis·cour·aged, dis·cour·ag·ing, dis·cour·ag·es 1. To deprive of confidence, hope, or spirit: Making so little progress after so much effort discouraged us.2. To dissuade or deter (someone) from doing something: My adviser discouraged me from applying to big universities.3. To try to prevent by expressing disapproval or raising objections: The agency discouraged all travel to the areas hardest hit by the disease.
[Middle English discoragen, from Old French descoragier : des-, dis- + corage, courage; see courage.]
dis·cour′age·a·ble adj.dis·cour′ag·er n.dis·cour′ag·ing·ly adv.Synonyms: discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit
These verbs mean to make less hopeful or enthusiastic: researchers who were discouraged by the problem's magnitude; apathy that disheartened the instructor; did not let the technical difficulties dismay them; a failure that dispirited the team.Antonym: encourage