ENGLISH
REFERENCE

discouraged

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //dɪˈskɝədʒd// UK //dɪskˈʌɹɪdʒd// dis·cour·aged

v. feeling like you have lost your confidence or hope because something is too difficult.

v. having lost confidence, enthusiasm, or spirit in the face of difficulty or opposition.


SIMPLE

He felt discouraged after failing his driving test again.

CONTEXTUAL

The team became discouraged when their opponents scored three goals in the first ten minutes of the match.

COMPLEX

Despite several rejections from major publishers, the author refused to feel discouraged, viewing each critique as a necessary step toward refining her manuscript for a more discerning audience.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Often follows linking verbs like 'feel', 'become', or 'seem'; frequently takes the preposition 'by' or 'at'.

Pitfall

I am discouraging about my resultsI am discouraged about my resultsLearners often confuse the -ed adjective (how you feel) with the -ing adjective (the thing that makes you feel that way).

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