| Main Entry: | discourage |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | dishearten, dispirit |
Synonyms: |
abash, afflict, alarm, appall, awe, beat down, bother, break one's heart, bully, cast down, chill, confuse, cow, dampen, dash, daunt, deject, demoralize, deprecate, depress, dismay, disparage, distress, droop, frighten, intimidate, irk, overawe, prostrate, repress, scare, throw cold water on, trouble, try, unnerve, vex, weigh |
Antonyms: |
encourage, hearten, inspire, inspirit |
| Main Entry: | discourage |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | deter, dissuade; restrain |
Synonyms: |
check, chill, control, curb, deprecate, disadvise, discountenance, disfavor, disincline, divert, frighten, hinder, hold back, hold off, impede, indispose, inhibit, interfere, keep back, obstruct, prevent, put off, quiet, repress, scare, shake, talk out of, throw cold water on, turn aside, turn off, warn, withhold |
Antonyms: |
encourage, inspire, spur on |
| Main Entry: | bar |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | prohibit |
Synonyms: |
ban, boycott, circumvent, condemn, debar, deny, disallow, discountenance, discourage, eliminate, enjoin, except, exclude, exile, forbid, freeze out, frustrate, hinder, interdict, interfere, keep out, limit, obstruct, ostracize, outlaw, override, preclude, prevent, refuse, reject, restrain, rule out, segregate, shut out, stop, suspend |
Antonyms: |
advocate, allow, open, permit |
| Main Entry: | check |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | hinder, restrain |
Synonyms: |
arrest, baffle, bar, bit, bottleneck, bridle, checkmate, choke, circumvent, constrain, control, counteract, curb, cut short, delay, discourage, foil, frustrate, halt, harness, hold, hold back, hold down, hold in, impede, inhibit, interrupt, keep back, limit, moderate, neutralize, nip in the bud, obstruct, obviate, pause, play for time, preclude, prevent, rebuff, reduce, rein in, repress, repulse, retard, slacken pace, slow down, snub, squelch, stay, stop, suppress, tame, terminate, thwart, withhold |
Antonyms: |
aid, allow, assist, expedite, help, indulge, liberate, permit |
| Main Entry: | dampen |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | spoil spirits |
Synonyms: |
allay, check, chill, cloud, cool, curb, dash, deaden, deject, depress, diminish, discourage, dismay, dispirit, dull, humble, inhibit, moderate, muffle, mute, restrain, stifle |
Antonyms: |
brighten, encourage, hearten, inspirit, uplift |
| Main Entry: | daunt |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | frighten, alarm |
Synonyms: |
appall, baffle, browbeat, bully, consternate, cow, deter, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, foil, horrify, intimidate, overawe, put off*, scare, shake, subdue, terrify, thwart |
Antonyms: |
aid, assist, embolden, encourage, hearten, help, incite, inspirit, stimulate, undaunt, urge |
| Main Entry: | delay |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | cause stop in action |
Synonyms: |
adjourn, arrest, bar, bide time, block, check, choke, clog, confine, curb, dawdle, defer, detain, deter, dilly-dally, discourage, drag, encumber, filibuster, gain time, hamper, hold, hold over, impede, inhibit, interfere, intermit, keep, keep back, lag, lay over, linger, loiter, obstruct, postpone, prevent, procrastinate, prolong, prorogue, protract, put off, remand, repress, restrict, retard, shelve, slacken, stall, stave off, stay, suspend, table, tarry, temporize, withhold |
| Notes: | various things may cause a delay, but a postponement will result from the action of a person |
Antonyms: |
advance, dispatch, expedite, further, hasten, hurry, rush, speed |
| Main Entry: | demoralize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | depress, unnerve |
Synonyms: |
abash, blow out, blow up, chill, cripple, damp, dampen, daunt, debilitate, deject, disarrange, disconcert, discountenance, discourage, dishearten, disorder, disorganize, disparage, dispirit, disturb, embarrass, enfeeble, get to, jumble, muddle, nonplus, psych out, rattle, sap, send up, shake, snarl, take apart, take steam out, undermine, unglue, unman, unsettle, unzip, upset, weaken |
Antonyms: |
boost, comfort, encourage, uplift |
| Main Entry: | depress |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | deject, make despondent; exhaust |
Synonyms: |
abase, afflict, ail, bear down, beat, beat down, bother, bug*, bum out, cast down, chill*, cow*, damp, dampen, darken, daunt, debase, debilitate, degrade, desolate, devitalize, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, distress, disturb, drag*, drain, dull, enervate, faze, keep under, lower, mock, mortify, oppress, perturb, press, put down*, reduce, reduce to tears, run down, sadden, sap*, scorn, slow, throw cold water on, torment, trouble, try, turn one off, upset, weaken, weary, weigh down |
Antonyms: |
cheer, comfort, encourage, excite, lift, make happy, stimulate |
| Main Entry: | deter |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | check, inhibit from action |
Synonyms: |
act like a wet blanket, avert, block, caution, chill, cool, damp, dampen, daunt, debar, disadvise, discourage, dissuade, divert, forestall, forfend, frighten, hinder, impede, intimidate, obstruct, obviate, preclude, prevent, prohibit, put a damper on, put off, restrain, rule out, scare, shut out, stave off, stop, talk out of, throw cold water on, turn off, warn |
Antonyms: |
encourage, instigate, persuade, promote, put on to, stimulate, support, turn on, urge |