discourage

Main Entry:
discourage [dih-skur-ij, -skuhr-]
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: dishearten, dispirit
Synonyms: abash, afflict, alarm, appall, awe, beat down, bother, break one's heart, bully, cast down, chill, confuse, cow, dampen, dash, daunt, deject, demoralize, deprecate, depress, dismay, disparage, distress, droop, frighten, intimidate, irk, overawe, prostrate, repress, scare, throw cold water on, trouble, try, unnerve, vex, weigh
Antonyms: encourage, hearten, inspire, inspirit
Main Entry: bar
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: prohibit
Synonyms: ban, boycott, circumvent, condemn, debar, deny, disallow, discountenance, discourage, eliminate, enjoin, except, exclude, exile, forbid, freeze out, frustrate, hinder, interdict, interfere, keep out, limit, obstruct, ostracize, outlaw, override, preclude, prevent, refuse, reject, restrain, rule out, segregate, shut out, stop, suspend
Antonyms: advocate, allow, open, permit
Main Entry: check
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: hinder, restrain
Synonyms: arrest, baffle, bar, bit, bottleneck, bridle, checkmate, choke, circumvent, constrain, control, counteract, curb, cut short, delay, discourage, foil, frustrate, halt, harness, hold, hold back, hold down, hold in, impede, inhibit, interrupt, keep back, limit, moderate, neutralize, nip in the bud, obstruct, obviate, pause, play for time, preclude, prevent, rebuff, reduce, rein in, repress, repulse, retard, slacken pace, slow down, snub, squelch, stay, stop, suppress, tame, terminate, thwart, withhold
Antonyms: aid, allow, assist, expedite, help, indulge, liberate, permit
Main Entry: dampen
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: spoil spirits
Synonyms: allay, check, chill, cloud, cool, curb, dash, deaden, deject, depress, diminish, discourage, dismay, dispirit, dull, humble, inhibit, moderate, muffle, mute, restrain, stifle
Antonyms: brighten, encourage, hearten, inspirit, uplift
Main Entry: daunt
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: frighten, alarm
Synonyms: appall, baffle, browbeat, bully, consternate, cow, deter, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, foil, horrify, intimidate, overawe, put off*, scare, shake, subdue, terrify, thwart
Antonyms: aid, assist, embolden, encourage, hearten, help, incite, inspirit, stimulate, undaunt, urge
Main Entry: delay
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: cause stop in action
Synonyms: adjourn, arrest, bar, bide time, block, check, choke, clog, confine, curb, dawdle, defer, detain, deter, dilly-dally, discourage, drag, encumber, filibuster, gain time, hamper, hold, hold over, impede, inhibit, interfere, intermit, keep, keep back, lag, lay over, linger, loiter, obstruct, postpone, prevent, procrastinate, prolong, prorogue, protract, put off, remand, repress, restrict, retard, shelve, slacken, stall, stave off, stay, suspend, table, tarry, temporize, withhold
Notes: various things may cause a delay, but a postponement will result from the action of a person
Antonyms: advance, dispatch, expedite, further, hasten, hurry, rush, speed
Main Entry: demoralize
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: depress, unnerve
Synonyms: abash, blow out, blow up, chill, cripple, damp, dampen, daunt, debilitate, deject, disarrange, disconcert, discountenance, discourage, dishearten, disorder, disorganize, disparage, dispirit, disturb, embarrass, enfeeble, get to, jumble, muddle, nonplus, psych out, rattle, sap, send up, shake, snarl, take apart, take steam out, undermine, unglue, unman, unsettle, unzip, upset, weaken
Antonyms: boost, comfort, encourage, uplift
Main Entry: depress
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: deject, make despondent; exhaust
Synonyms: abase, afflict, ail, bear down, beat, beat down, bother, bug*, bum out, cast down, chill*, cow*, damp, dampen, darken, daunt, debase, debilitate, degrade, desolate, devitalize, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, distress, disturb, drag*, drain, dull, enervate, faze, keep under, lower, mock, mortify, oppress, perturb, press, put down*, reduce, reduce to tears, run down, sadden, sap*, scorn, slow, throw cold water on, torment, trouble, try, turn one off, upset, weaken, weary, weigh down
Antonyms: cheer, comfort, encourage, excite, lift, make happy, stimulate
Main Entry: deter
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: check, inhibit from action
Synonyms: act like a wet blanket, avert, block, caution, chill, cool, damp, dampen, daunt, debar, disadvise, discourage, dissuade, divert, forestall, forfend, frighten, hinder, impede, intimidate, obstruct, obviate, preclude, prevent, prohibit, put a damper on, put off, restrain, rule out, scare, shut out, stave off, stop, talk out of, throw cold water on, turn off, warn
Antonyms: encourage, instigate, persuade, promote, put on to, stimulate, support, turn on, urge
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