discouraging
Sapping one's hope
Discouraging describes something that diminishes confidence, hope, or enthusiasm.
A discouraging result makes you want to give up.
A discouraging sign suggests things won't improve.
The early reviews were discouraging, but she kept writing anyway.
The word can also describe a person who dampens others' aspirations: My parents were discouraging about my music career.
Inspiring fear or unease
- overwhelmingIntensely excessive in force
- formidableInspiring fear or respect
- demoralizingDestroying confidence or hope
- dispiritingCausing loss of enthusiasm
disheartening · off-putting · unapproachable · challenging · difficult · tough · arduous · strenuous
Failing to excite interest
- dispiritingCausing loss of enthusiasm
- demotivatingReducing willingness to try
- deadeningLessening intensity or sensitivity
- drainingDepleting one's reserves
enervating · stifling · soul-crushing · thankless · unrewarding · tedious · fruitless · futile
Dreary and without cheer
- hopelessBeyond possibility of success
- gloomyDark and dispiriting
- dismalDepressingly dark or dull
- negativeOpposite of affirmative
cynical · defeatist · fatalistic · despairing · doubtful · skeptical · unpromising · dim
Advising against action
- warningAlert about danger
- cautionaryServing as warning
- preventiveMeant to stop trouble
- prohibitivePreventing through excess
off-putting · barrier · obstacle · impediment · hindrance · restraint · inhibiting · blocking
Failing to satisfy expectations
- letdownFailure to satisfy expectations
- anticlimacticDisappointingly weak after buildup
- underwhelmingFailing to meet expectations
- crushingOverwhelming in intensity
sinking · crestfallen · dejecting · humbling · puncturing · sobering · dampening · flattening
intimidating
Inspiring fear or unease
- overwhelmingIntensely excessive in force
- formidableInspiring fear or respect
- demoralizingDestroying confidence or hope
dispiriting · disheartening · off-putting · unapproachable · challenging · difficult · tough · arduous · strenuous · forbidding
uninspiring
Failing to excite interest
- dispiritingCausing loss of enthusiasm
- demotivatingReducing willingness to try
- deadeningLessening intensity or sensitivity
draining · enervating · stifling · soul-crushing · thankless · unrewarding · tedious · fruitless · futile · pointless
bleak
Dreary and without cheer
negative · cynical · defeatist · fatalistic · despairing · doubtful · skeptical · unpromising · dim · unfavorable
dissuading
Advising against action
- warningAlert about danger
- cautionaryServing as warning
- preventiveMeant to stop trouble
prohibitive · off-putting · barrier · obstacle · impediment · hindrance · restraint · inhibiting · blocking · disincentive
disappointing
Failing to satisfy expectations
- letdownFailure to satisfy expectations
- anticlimacticDisappointingly weak after buildup
- underwhelmingFailing to meet expectations
crushing · sinking · crestfallen · dejecting · humbling · puncturing · sobering · dampening · flattening · humiliating
- driving awayrepelling, banishing, forcing out, warding off, fending off
- dispiritingdemoralizing, disheartening, dispiriting, deflating, demotivating
- interactionstalking, sharing, greeting, helping, listening
- approachesapproach, approaches, method, methods, way
- menacingthreatening, intimidating, menacing, ominous, sinister
- mistreatmentbullying, harassing, intimidating, oppressing, humiliating
discouragingencouraging
Giving confidence or hope
heartening · inspiring · cheering · uplifting · emboldening
discouragingencouraging
Giving confidence or hope
promising · hopeful · auspicious · favorable · heartening