discourage

Everyday

1. To make someone feel less confident or less hopeful. tree →
2. To try to stop someone from doing something by showing them it is not a good idea: «discourage someone from doing». tree →
3. To make something less likely to happen: «Fences discourage burglars.» tree →

In the lessons

In stories and everyday life, a bad mark can discourage a pupil, but teachers encourage them to keep going. In safety and science, things are done to discourage pests, litter or crime: «Lights discourage burglars», «Netting discourages birds». Phrases: «discourage from», «don't be discouraged», «easily discouraged».

Examples

• Don't let one bad score discourage you. tree →
• Signs discourage people from dropping litter. tree →
• Her parents discouraged her from swimming in the cold sea. tree →
• Bright lights discourage burglars. tree →
• The rain didn't discourage the fans from coming. tree →
• He was discouraged when his tower fell down again. tree →
• She knew that it was for her boy’s good that he should leave her now, and she must not discourage him just as he was setting out. tree →

Note

Opposite: «encourage». Pattern: «discourage someone from + -ing» (not «to»). Adjective: «discouraging»/«discouraged»; noun: «discouragement».