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Definition of dishearten

dishearten

/dɪsˈhɑːr.tən/
dis · heart · en
Adverb:dishearteningly
•
Adjective:disheartened
•
Past Simple:disheartened
•
Past Participle:disheartened
•
Present Participle:disheartening
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dishearten Lexical Profile

dishearten Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To cause someone to lose determination, hope, or confidence.

Example

"The sudden cancellation of the research grant did not dishearten the dedicated team of scientists."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for dishearten
Antonyms
View all antonyms for dishearten

• Rhymes for dishearten

• Nearby Words

disharmonious
disharmony
dishcloth
dishearten
disheartening
dishearteningly
disheartenment

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the late 16th century from the prefix dis- (expressing reversal) and hearten, literally meaning 'to take away someone's heart or courage.'

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dishearten. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dishearten
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