discourages synonym | Thesaurus.com

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, discountenance, disfavor, divert, frighten, hinder, hold back, impede, inhibit, interfere, obstruct, prevent, put off, quiet, repress, scare, shake, turn off, warn, withhold, disadvise, disincline, hold off, indispose, keep back, talk out of, throw cold water on, turn aside
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, frustrate, hinder, interdict, interfere, limit, obstruct, ostracize, outlaw, override, preclude, prevent, refuse, reject, restrain, rule out, segregate, shut out, stop, suspend, freeze out, keep out
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, impede, inhibit, interrupt, limit, moderate, neutralize, nip in the bud, obstruct, obviate, pause, preclude, prevent, rebuff, reduce, repress, repulse, retard, snub, squelch, stay, stop, suppress, tame, terminate, thwart, withhold, hold down, hold in, keep back, play for time, rein in, slacken pace, slow down
Antonyms:	aid, allow, assist, expedite, help, indulge, liberate, permit

* = informal/non-formal usage

Main Entry:	dampen
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	spoil spirits
Synonyms:	allay, check, chill, cloud, cool, curb, dash, deaden, deject, depress, diminish, discourage, dismay, dull, humble, inhibit, moderate, muffle, mute, restrain, stifle, dispirit
Antonyms:	brighten, encourage, hearten, uplift, inspirit

Main Entry:	daunt
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	frighten, alarm
Synonyms:	appall, baffle, browbeat, bully, cow, deter, discourage, dishearten, dismay, foil, horrify, intimidate, put off*, scare, shake, subdue, terrify, thwart, consternate, dispirit, overawe
Antonyms:	aid, assist, embolden, encourage, hearten, help, incite, stimulate, urge, inspirit, undaunt

* = informal/non-formal usage

Main Entry:	delay
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	cause stop in action
Synonyms:	adjourn, arrest, bar, block, check, choke, clog, confine, curb, dawdle, defer, detain, deter, dilly-dally*, discourage, drag, encumber, filibuster, hamper, hold, impede, inhibit, interfere, keep, lag, linger, loiter, obstruct, postpone, prevent, procrastinate, prolong, protract, put off, repress, restrict, retard, shelve, slacken, stall, stave off, stay, suspend, table, tarry, temporize, withhold, bide time, gain time, hold over, intermit, keep back, lay over, prorogue, remand
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

* = informal/non-formal usage

Main Entry:	demoralize
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	depress, unnerve
Synonyms:	abash, blow up, chill, cripple, damp, dampen, daunt, debilitate, deject, disarrange, disconcert, discountenance, discourage, dishearten, disorder, disorganize, disparage, disturb, embarrass, enfeeble, jumble, muddle, nonplus, rattle, sap, shake, snarl, undermine, unsettle, unzip, upset, weaken, blow out, dispirit, get to, psych out, send up, take apart, take steam out, unglue, unman
Antonyms:	boost, comfort, encourage, uplift

* = informal/non-formal usage

Main Entry:	depress
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	deject, make despondent; exhaust
Synonyms:	abase, afflict, ail, bear down, beat, bother, bug, chill, cow, damp, dampen, darken, daunt, debase, debilitate, degrade, desolate, devitalize, discourage, dishearten, dismay, distress, disturb, drag, drain, dull, enervate, faze, lower, mock, mortify, oppress, perturb, press, put down, reduce, run down, sadden, sap, scorn, slow, torment, trouble, try, upset, weaken, weary, weigh down, beat down*, bum out, cast down, dispirit, keep under, reduce to tears, throw cold water on, turn one off
Antonyms:	cheer, comfort, encourage, excite, lift, stimulate, make happy

* = informal/non-formal usage

Main Entry:	deter
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	check, inhibit from action
Synonyms:	avert, block, caution, chill, cool, damp, dampen, daunt, debar, discourage, dissuade, divert, forestall, frighten, hinder, impede, intimidate, obstruct, obviate, preclude, prevent, prohibit, put off, restrain, rule out, scare, shut out, stave off, stop, turn off, warn, act like a wet blanket, disadvise, forfend, put a damper on, talk out of, throw cold water on
Antonyms:	encourage, instigate, persuade, promote, stimulate, support, turn on, urge, put on to

Main Entry:	discountenance
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	reject, oppose
Synonyms:	condemn, deprecate, disapprove, discourage, disfavor, dispute, put down, resist, count me out, discommend, disesteem, frown on*, hold no brief for, not go for, not stand for, object to, take a dim view of, take exception to
Antonyms:	approve, back, countenance, sanction, support

* = informal/non-formal usage

Main Entry:	dishearten
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	depress, ruin one's hopes
Synonyms:	chill, crush, damp, dampen, dash, daunt, deject, demoralize, deter, discourage, dismay, disparage, get down, humble, humiliate, put down, shake, cast down, disincline, dispirit, indispose, put a damper on, throw a pall over
Antonyms:	encourage, hearten, inspirit

* = informal/non-formal usage

Main Entry:	dismay
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	disappoint, fill with consternation
Synonyms:	abash, affright, agitate, alarm, appall, bewilder, bother, chill, confound, daunt, discomfit, discompose, disconcert, discourage, dishearten, disillusion, disquiet, distress, disturb, dumbfound, embarrass, faze, flummox, fluster, foul up, frighten, horrify, mess up, mystify, nonplus, paralyze, perplex, put off, puzzle, rattle, scare, screw up, shake, snafu, terrify, terrorize, throw, unhinge, unnerve, upset, dispirit, get to, louse up, muck up*, take aback, throw into a tizzy
Antonyms:	assure, encourage, make happy

* = informal/non-formal usage

Main Entry:	disparage
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	criticize; detract from
Synonyms:	abuse, belittle, chill, decry, defame, degrade, deject, demoralize, denigrate, deprecate, depreciate, deride, derogate, discourage, discredit, disdain, dishearten, dismiss, lower, malign, minimize, pan, put down, rap, ridicule, roast, run down, scorch, scorn, slam, slander, smear*, sour grapes, tear down, traduce, underestimate, underrate, undervalue, vilify, write off, cry down, dis, dispirit, dispraise, downcry, dump on, put hooks in
Antonyms:	approve, commend, compliment, flatter, laud, praise, sanction

* = informal/non-formal usage

Main Entry:	dissuade
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	talk out of
Synonyms:	chicken out, counsel, deprecate, derail, deter, discourage, divert, exhort, expostulate, faze, hinder, prevent, prick, put off, remonstrate, throw off, thwart, turn off, warn, advise against, caution against, cry out against, disadvise, disincline, lean on, persuade not to, throw a wet blanket on, throw cold water on, urge not to
Antonyms:	incite, persuade, talk into

* = informal/non-formal usage

Main Entry:	divert
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	take attention away
Synonyms:	abstract, detach, deter, detract, discourage, disengage, dissuade, distract, disturb, sidetrack, stall, attract attention, bend the rules, catch flies, circumlocute, disadvise, draw away, get around, lead astray, lead away, send on a wild-goose chase

Main Entry:	freeze
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	stop
Synonyms:	dampen, depress, discourage, dishearten, fix, hold up, inhibit, peg, suspend
Antonyms:	continue, go

Main Entry:	frighten
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	shock, scare
Synonyms:	affright, agitate, alarm, appall, astound, awe, browbeat, bulldoze, chill, cow, daunt, demoralize, deter, discomfort, disconcert, discourage, dishearten, dismay, disquiet, faze, horrify, intimidate, panic, perturb, petrify, repel, spook, startle, stiff, terrify, terrorize, unhinge*, unnerve, chill to the bone, curdle the blood, disburb, make blood run cold, make teeth chatter, scare away, scare off, scare to death, strike terror into
Antonyms:	calm, comfort, exhilarate, gladden

* = informal/non-formal usage

Main Entry:	frown
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	disapprove
Synonyms:	deprecate, discountenance, discourage, disfavor, dislike, object, discommend, disesteem, look askance at, not take kindly to, show displeasure, take a dim view of
Antonyms:	approve, condone, encourage

Main Entry:	frustrate
Part of Speech:	verb
Definition:	thwart, disappoint
Synonyms:	annul, arrest, baffle, balk, bar, beat, block, cancel, check, circumvent, confront, conquer, counter, counteract, cramp, cramp one's style, crimp, dash, dash one's hope, defeat, depress, discourage, dishearten, foil, forbid, forestall, foul up, give the run around, halt, hang up, hinder, hold up, impede, inhibit, lick, negate, neutralize, nullify, obstruct, obviate, outwit, overcome, preclude, prevent, prohibit, render null and void, ruin, stump, stymie, upset the applecart*
Antonyms:	aid, assist, cooperate, encourage, facilitate, help, support