| 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: | discouraging |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | upsetting |
Synonyms: |
black, bleak, dampening, daunting, depressing, depressive, deterring, disadvantageous, disappointing, disheartening, dismal, dismaying, dispiriting, dissuading, dreary, gloomy, hindering, inopportune, off-putting, oppressive, repressing, unfavorable, unpropitious |
Antonyms: |
auspicious, encouraging, favorable, heartening, inspiring, inspiriting |
| Main Entry: | bad |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | distressing |
Synonyms: |
adverse, disagreeable, discouraged, discouraging, displeasing, distressed, gloomy, grim, melancholy, troubled, troubling, unfavorable, unfortunate, unhappy, unpleasant |
| Notes: | badly is an adverb to describe an activity; bad is an adjective to describe a condition or state |
| 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: | bleak |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | depressing |
Synonyms: |
black, cheerless, comfortless, dark, discouraging, disheartening, dismal, drear, dreary, funereal, gloomy, grim, hard, harsh, hopeless, joyless, lonely, melancholy, mournful, oppressive, sad, somber, unpromising |
Antonyms: |
cheerful, comforting, congenial, encouraging, nice, pleasant |
| 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: | chill |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | unfriendly, aloof |
Synonyms: |
cool, depressing, discouraging, dismal, dispiriting, distant, emotionless, formal, frigid, glacial, hateful, hostile, icy, indifferent, reserved, solitary, standoffish, stony, uncompanionable, unemotional, ungenial, unhappy, unresponsive, unwelcoming, wintry, withdrawn |
Antonyms: |
friendly, responsive, sympathetic, warm |
| 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 |