demoralize
B2Formal and neutral, widely used in written and spoken English.
Definition
Meaning
To weaken the confidence, morale, or spirit of someone or a group.
To undermine courage, hope, or discipline; to cause loss of enthusiasm, determination, or ethical standards.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can apply to individuals, groups, or organizations. Implies a gradual or significant erosion of positive psychological state, not just temporary discouragement.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK English also accepts 'demoralise'. Usage frequency and contexts are nearly identical.
Connotations
Identical in both variants—strongly negative. Often associated with military, political, or organizational contexts.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American English corpora, but difference is marginal.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] demoralize [Object][Subject] demoralize [Object] by [Gerund/Noun Phrase][Object] be demoralized by [Subject]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Demoralize the troops”
- “A demoralizing defeat”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to undermining employee motivation, often due to poor management, layoffs, or repeated failures.
Academic
Used in psychology, sociology, and history to describe erosion of group morale or societal spirit.
Everyday
Describes feeling thoroughly discouraged after setbacks in personal projects or group activities.
Technical
Military science: deliberate strategy to undermine enemy's will to fight. Organizational psychology: a state of reduced efficacy due to chronic stressors.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The constant rain began to demoralise the festival volunteers.
- Such public criticism can demoralise even the most dedicated staff.
American English
- The leaked memo could demoralize the entire sales team.
- They tried to demoralize their opponents with an early aggressive play.
adverb
British English
- The news was demoralisingly bad for all involved.
- He spoke demoralisingly about the company's future.
American English
- The project progressed demoralizingly slowly.
- They failed demoralizingly close to the finish line.
adjective
British English
- He gave a demoralising speech that left everyone gloomy.
- The team's performance was frankly demoralising to watch.
American English
- It was a demoralizing loss for the home team.
- She found the demoralizing bureaucracy impossible to navigate.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Losing every game can demoralize a team.
- The bad news seemed to demoralize everyone in the office for the rest of the week.
- The government's contradictory messages served only to confuse and demoralize the public during the crisis.
- Historical analyses suggest that the relentless propaganda campaign was designed not just to misinform but to systematically demoralize the civilian population.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: DE (take away) + MORAL (spirit/ethics) + IZE (make) = to take away someone's spirit.
Conceptual Metaphor
MORALE IS A STRUCTURE/SUPPORT (it can be undermined, eroded, collapsed).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation as 'деморализовать'—Russian version is much stronger, often implying complete moral collapse. English 'demoralize' is more about discouragement.
- Do not confuse with 'demoralise' in UK spelling—same meaning.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing with 'demoralize' and 'demotivate'—demoralize is stronger, affecting core confidence. 'Demotivate' is more about specific tasks.
- Overuse in casual contexts where 'discourage' or 'disappoint' is more natural.
- Incorrect: 'The weather demoralized our plans' (plans cannot be demoralized). Correct: 'The bad weather demoralized us.'
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'demoralize' CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can be used for individuals, small teams, or large populations. The effect is on confidence/morale.
'Discourage' is generally milder and more temporary, often about a specific action. 'Demoralize' implies a deeper, more lasting erosion of spirit or hope.
No, it is exclusively negative. It describes causing a negative psychological state.
Historically yes (from French 'moral'), but in modern usage it's about morale (confidence/spirit), not directly about ethical goodness or badness.