discouraging - definition, thesaurus and related words from WordNet-Online

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Adjective discouraging has 2 senses

discouraging - depriving of confidence or hope or enthusiasm and hence often deterring action; "where never is heard a discouraging word"
Antonyms: encouraging, exhortative, exhortatory, hortative, hortatory, heartening, inspiriting, promotive, rallying
discouraging - expressing disapproval
Antonym: persuasive (indirect, via dissuasive)

Verb discourage has 3 senses

deter, discourage - try to prevent; show opposition to; "We should discourage this practice among our youth"
--₁ is one way to disapprove, reject

Derived form: noun discouragement₃
Sample sentence:
They discourage him from writing the letter
discourage - deprive of courage or hope; take away hope from; cause to feel discouraged
Antonyms: encourage

Derived form: noun discouragement₁
Sample sentence:
The bad news will discourage him
warn, discourage, admonish, monish - admonish or counsel in terms of someone's behavior; "I warned him not to go too far"; "I warn you against false assumptions"; "She warned him to be quiet"
--₃ is one way to advise, counsel
Sample sentences:
Sam cannot discourage Sue
They discourage him from writing the letter