discourage
Talk someone out
To discourage is to diminish someone's confidence or enthusiasm: Don't let setbacks discourage you.
It also means to try to prevent something by expressing disapproval or creating obstacles: The high price discourages impulse buying, Her parents discouraged the relationship.
A discouraged person feels disheartened; a discouraging situation dampens hope or motivation.
Prevent through intimidation
thwart · obstruct · impede · forestall · restrain · avert · hamper · hinder
Reduce someone's eagerness
- disheartenCause to lose hope
- dispiritCause to lose hope
- demoralizeDestroy confidence or resolve
- deflateRelease air from
dampen · depress · dismay · daunt · unnerve · intimidate · crush · undermine
Something blocking the way
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
- impedimentThing that obstructs progress
- hindranceBarrier to progress
- deterrentThing that discourages action
disincentive · stumbling block · roadblock · hurdle · setback · drawback · constraint · restriction
State without hope
- despairTotal absence of hope
- defeatismAcceptance of inevitable failure
- resignationVoluntary relinquishment of position
- despondencyProfound loss of hope
gloom · negativity · apathy · disillusionment · dejection · desolation · listlessness · lethargy
deter
Prevent through intimidation
stop · thwart · obstruct · impede · forestall · restrain · avert · hamper · hinder · curb
demotivate
Reduce someone's eagerness
- disheartenCause to lose hope
- dispiritCause to lose hope
- demoralizeDestroy confidence or resolve
deflate · dampen · depress · dismay · daunt · unnerve · intimidate · crush · undermine · shake
obstacle
Something blocking the way
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
- impedimentThing that obstructs progress
- hindranceBarrier to progress
deterrent · disincentive · stumbling block · roadblock · hurdle · setback · drawback · constraint · restriction · limitation
hopelessness
State without hope
- despairTotal absence of hope
- defeatismAcceptance of inevitable failure
- resignationVoluntary relinquishment of position
despondency · gloom · negativity · apathy · disillusionment · dejection · desolation · listlessness · lethargy · weariness
disapprove
Judge as wrong
- frown uponRegard with disfavor
- opposeAct against something
- objectTangible entity or aim
reject · condemn · criticize · rebuke · reproach · admonish · chide · scold · reprimand · censure
- DIS- wordsdisagree, disallow, disbelieve, disapprove, disarray
- adviceadvice, advise, tips, counsel, guidance
- disapprovaldisapproval, scowl, disapprove, disapproves, frown
- obstructblock, halt, stop, impede, hinder
- persuasion tacticscharm, butter up, flattery, flatter, coax
- social actionsinteract, communicate, connect, socialize, engage
discouraged, discouraging, discouragement, discourages, discourager, discouragers, discouragements, discouragingly, undiscouraged