MEANING
To weaken someone’s courage, hope, or confidence, making continued effort feel harder.
Use it for
Describe an event that weakens hope or courage.Names the effect of discouragement on resolve, not only a character’s immediate mood.
Words that belong together
- dishearten someone
- feel disheartened
- deeply dishearten
On the page
The repeated delays disheartened the volunteers, but they kept returning.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- dishearten
- Past tense
- disheartened
- Past participle
- disheartened
- Present participle
- disheartening
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- dishearten
- Present continuous
- am/is/are disheartening
- Present perfect
- have/has disheartened
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been disheartening
- Past
- disheartened
- Past continuous
- was/were disheartening
- Past perfect
- had disheartened
- Past perfect continuous
- had been disheartening
- Future
- will dishearten
- Future continuous
- will be disheartening
- Future perfect
- will have disheartened
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been disheartening
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Explore related collections
Usage notes
Usually transitive; it focuses on the loss of courage or hope, rather than sadness alone.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.