demoralize
/dɪˈmɒrəlaɪz/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈmɔːrəlaɪz/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈmȯr-ə-ˌlīz ˌdē-, -ˈmär-/ (ame, mw)
demoralize — verb
- demoralizepresent simple I / you / we / they
- demoralizeshe / she / it
- demoralizedpast simple
- demoralizing-ing form
1. to make someone feel that they can no longer succeed or continue, by destroying
to make someone feel that they can no longer succeed or continue, by destroying their hope or belief in their own abilities
The team felt demoralized after losing six matches in a row.
passive: be demoralized by repeated failure
Constant criticism from her manager demoralized Nadia so much that she started looking for a new job.
demoralized + [person] + so much that...
Kwame felt completely demoralized when his research paper was rejected for the third time.
A lack of basic supplies like clean water and medicine demoralized the hospital staff.
What demoralizes young teachers most is not the low pay but the lack of support.
- discourage
softer effect — you can be discouraged and still keep trying; demoralized suggests a deeper loss of hope
- dishearten
similar emotional impact, slightly more formal
- encourage
to give hope, confidence, or support to someone
文法句型
be demoralized by [something]
demoralize + person
用法筆記
Often used in the passive (be/get demoralized). Common with cause-preposition phrases introduced by by or because of.
常見錯誤
2. to damage someone's sense of right and wrong over time, so that they begin to be
to damage someone's sense of right and wrong over time, so that they begin to behave in an immoral or dishonest way
Critics argued that the reality show demoralized its young viewers by presenting selfish behaviour as something to admire.
demoralize + person + by [behaviour]
Vikram believed that unchecked power had demoralized the once-honest city officials.
A society that rewards dishonesty gradually demoralizes even those who start out with strong principles.
The novel explores how war can demoralize ordinary people and turn them into criminals.
- elevate
to raise someone's moral standards or character
文法句型
demoralize + person
用法筆記
This sense is markedly formal and much rarer than sense 1. It is most often used in political, philosophical, or literary contexts rather than everyday speech.
常見錯誤
3. to disturb the normal order or smooth functioning of a system, organization, or
to disturb the normal order or smooth functioning of a system, organization, or group of people, causing confusion or breakdown
The surprise attack at dawn demoralized the battalion, and within hours their organized defense turned into a chaotic retreat.
demoralize + [group] → causes disorder/confusion
Three consecutive losses demoralized the team so badly that players started arguing with each other on the field.
The sudden cancellation of the project demoralized the research team, and the entire lab fell into disarray.
Layoffs demoralized the remaining employees to the point where daily operations simply stopped running smoothly.
- disorganize
similar result (loss of order), but demoralize specifies the cause — loss of morale among the people involved
- dishearten
very close in the 'lose confidence' sense; use dishearten for emotional effect and demoralize when the result includes organizational breakdown
- organize
to arrange into a structured or functioning order
文法句型
demoralize + group of people
be demoralized by [event]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 3 focuses on the external result (disorder, breakdown of function) rather than the internal feeling. The object is always a group of people — the disorder arises because their morale collapses. Example: demoralized troops fall into disorganized retreat (sense 3), whereas a demoralized student simply gives up studying (sense 1).