Word
discouraged
Phoneticsdis·cour·aged, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈskɝədʒd/
UK/dɪskˈʌɹɪdʒd/
Definitions
01feeling hopeless
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. feeling like you have lost your confidence or hope because of a problem or failure.
adj. having lost confidence, spirit, or hope; experiencing a state of dejection due to perceived obstacles.
“He felt discouraged after his job application was rejected for the third time.”
“Despite the initial setbacks, the research team refused to become discouraged, viewing each failed experiment as a necessary step toward the final solution.”
Usage
often follows 'feel', 'become', or 'get'
Pitfall
The difficult exam made me feel discouraging.
The difficult exam made me feel discouraged.
Use '-ed' to describe how a person feels and '-ing' to describe the thing that causes the feeling.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02not recommended
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. describing an action that people are advised not to do, though it might not be strictly forbidden.
adj. describing an action or behaviour that is advised against or viewed with disfavour by an authority.
“Using personal phones during the meeting is strongly discouraged by the manager.”
“In many academic disciplines, the use of first-person pronouns in formal research papers is traditionally discouraged in favour of a more objective tone.”
Usage
often used in passive constructions or official guidelines
Teaching tip
This sense is common in technical or administrative contexts, such as software documentation or workplace policies.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Entertainment events are restricted and even the use of electricity is discouraged.” “Plantation owners in the South eagerly repeated these stories because they discouraged enslaved people from escaping into marshes and swamps, where pursuing them proved difficult.” - Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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