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Definition of disheartening

disheartening

/dɪsˈhɑːr.tən.ɪŋ/
dis · heart · en · ing
Adverb:dishearteningly
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disheartening Lexical Profile

disheartening Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Causing someone to lose determination, confidence, or hope; discouraging.

Example

"It was disheartening to see months of careful research dismissed after only a brief review."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for disheartening
Antonyms
View all antonyms for disheartening

• Rhymes for disheartening

• Nearby Words

disharmony
dishcloth
dishearten
disheartening
dishearteningly
disheartenment
dishevel

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in the late 16th century as the present participle of the verb 'dishearten', combining the privative prefix 'dis-' with 'hearten' (derived from Old English 'heorte', meaning heart, spirit, 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 Disheartening. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/disheartening
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