demoralize

Verb

Meaning

To corrupt or undermine in morals; to destroy or lessen the effect of moral principles on; to render corrupt or untrustworthy in morals, in discipline, in courage, spirit, etc.; to weaken in spirit or efficiency.

Source: Webster's dictionary

Synonyms

corrupt dismay profane subvert depress pervert misdirect debauch debase dispirit vitiate deprave deject cast down get down
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Antonyms

ascension wow gladden cause move gratify
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Hypernyms

fox change throw alter modify discourage

Hyponyms

poison infect chill lead astray suborn bastardize

Derivatives

demoralized demoralizing

Examples

I think there are two ways in which people are controlled. First of all frighten people and secondly, demoralize them. Tony Benn

Man cannot become attached to higher aims and submit to a rule if he sees nothing above him to which he belongs. To free him from all social pressure is to abandon him to himself and demoralize him. Émile Durkheim

Nothing upsets me as much as a shop window jammed full of objects; such windows literally depress, sadden, even demoralize me. Imre Kertész

What is called national prestige consists in behaving always in such a way as to demoralize other nations by giving them the impression that, if it comes to war, one would certainly defeat them. Simone Weil

It seems to me that if Mr. Obama wins the presidential election, then Messrs. Farrakhan, Wright, Ayers and Pfleger will gain power for their need to demoralize this country and help create a socialist America. Jon Voight

I, for one, hope that youth will again revolt and again demoralize the dead weight of conformity that now lies upon us. Howard Mumford Jones

Close letter words and terms

demoralising demoralisingly demoralization demoralized demoralizer demoralizing