discouraging
word · lemma: discourage
Definition
Making someone feel less confident, less hopeful, or unwilling to try because something seems difficult or unlikely to succeed.
Usage & Nuances
Most common as an adjective to describe situations, news, or results. Often paired with words like 'result', 'news', or 'signs'. Not typically used about people themselves ('She is discouraging' sounds odd); use 'discouraged' for feelings.
Spanish: desalentador - desmoralizantePortuguese (BR): desanimador - desencorajadorPortuguese (PT): desencorajador - desanimadorChinese (Simplified): 令人沮丧的 - 令人气馁的Chinese (Traditional): 令人沮喪的 - 令人氣餒的Hindi: हतोत्साहित करने वालाArabic: مثبط للهمم - محبطBengali: হতাশাজনকRussian: обескураживающий - удручающийJapanese: がっかりさせる - 気をくじくVietnamese: làm nản lòng - gây thất vọngKorean: 낙담시키는 - 의욕을 꺾는Turkish: cesaret kırıcıUrdu: حوصلہ شکنIndonesian: mengecilkan hati - membuat putus asa
Example Sentences
The test results were discouraging.
basic
It can be discouraging when you make mistakes.
basic
The news about the project was discouraging.
basic
It's pretty discouraging to keep trying and not see any progress.
natural
I found his comments really discouraging.
natural
Don’t let a discouraging start stop you—keep going!
natural