dispirit
/di'spirit/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To cause someone to lose enthusiasm, hope, or confidence; to make someone feel disheartened or downcast. The action of lowering someone's spirits or morale.
Usage
- Transitive verb: Always takes a direct object (the person whose spirits are lowered).
- The constant criticism began to dispirit the team.
- Bad news can easily dispirit even the most optimistic person.
Examples
- The team's third consecutive loss served to dispirit the players.
- She tried not to let the negative feedback dispirit her.
- His gloomy predictions dispirited everyone in the room.
Advanced Usage
- "To be dispirited" (Adjectival past participle): Describes the state of feeling disheartened.
- After the failed attempt, the explorers were visibly dispirited.
- "Dispiriting" (Adjectival present participle): Describes something that causes a loss of spirit.
- The dispiriting weather matched our gloomy mood.
Variants and Related Words
- Dispiritedly (adverb): In a disheartened manner.
- He sighed dispiritedly.
- Dispiritedness (noun): The state of being dispirited.
- A sense of dispiritedness hung over the office.
Synonyms
- Discourage: To deprive of courage or confidence.
- Demoralize: To undermine the confidence or morale of.
- Dishearten: To cause to lose determination or hope.
- Deflate: To cause to feel suddenly dispirited or less confident.
Antonyms
- Encourage: To give support, confidence, or hope.
- Inspirit (archaic): To fill with spirit or animation; to encourage.
- Hearten: To make more cheerful or confident.
Notes on Meaning
- Nuance: "Dispirit" often implies a gradual or sustained lowering of spirits, rather than a single, sharp disappointment. It suggests a draining of energy and hopefulness.
- Formality: The word is more common in formal or literary contexts than in casual speech.
Verb
- lower someone's spirits; make downhearted
- These news depressed her
- The bad state of her child's health demoralizes her