demoralize
demoralize Lexical Profile
demoralize Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To cause someone to lose confidence, hope, enthusiasm, or spirit; to undermine the morale of.
"A series of unexpected budget cuts threatened to demoralize the research team just before the project's final phase."
To corrupt or undermine the moral character, principles, or discipline of a person or group.
"Historians argued that widespread bribery and patronage helped demoralize the civic institutions of the late republic."
Word Nuance & Usage
In modern usage, 'demoralize' almost always means to undermine someone's confidence, spirit, or morale, rather than its older literal sense of corrupting their moral principles.
• Rhymes for demoralize
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from French 'démoraliser', coined during the French Revolution by the grammarian and politician Domergue to describe the corruption of public morals and spirit, from 'dé-' (reversal) + 'moral' (morals or morale).