Demoralized — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective /di-ˈmȯr-ə-ˌlīz/ de·mor·al·ize

Meaning & Definition of Demoralized

Demoralized (verb)

  1. to cause to turn aside or away from what is good or true or morally right, to corrupt the morals of
  2. to weaken the morale of, discourage, dispirit
  3. to upset or destroy the normal functioning of

Demoralized (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having or showing lowered moral character or standards

    "a demoralized nation that had forgotten the values that once made it great"

    similar: corrupt, debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, degraded, depraved, dissipated, dissolute, jackleg, libertine, loose, perverse, perverted, rakehell, rakish, reprobate, sick, unclean, unwholesome, warped
    related: bent (chiefly British), crooked, cutthroat, dishonest, unethical, unprincipled, unscrupulous, contaminated, spoiled, tainted, bad, evil, immoral, iniquitous, miscreant, nefarious, sinful, vicious, wicked
    opposite: pure, uncorrupt, uncorrupted
    near: incorruptible, ethical, honest, principled, good, moral, righteous, virtuous

Demoralized (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to deprive of courage or confidence

    "the mere sight of the forbidding cliffs demoralized the climbers"

    similar: emasculated, paralyzed, undid, unmanned, unnerved, unstrung
    related: debilitated, enervated, enfeebled, neutered, weakened, prostrated, sapped, softened, tired, wasted, frightened, intimidated, psyched (out), scared, terrified, terrorized, daunted, discouraged, disheartened, dismayed, dispirited, crazed, deranged, maddened, unbalanced, unhinged, discomposed, disquieted, disturbed, fazed, perturbed, unsettled, upset, weirded out
    opposite: nerved
    near: fortified, strengthened, emboldened, encouraged, heartened

  2. to lessen the courage or confidence of

    "we refused to be demoralized by our humiliating defeat and vowed to come roaring back the following week"

    similar: chilled, daunted, discouraged, disheartened, dismayed, dispirited, frustrated, unmanned, unnerved, threw cold water on
    related: browbeat, bullied, cowed, intimidated, depressed, saddened, weighed, afflicted, tried, damped, dampened, deadened, distressed, troubled, bothered, irked, vexed, worried, debilitated, enfeebled, undermined, weakened, frightened, horrified, scared
    opposite: emboldened, encouraged, heartened, nerved, steeled
    near: buoyed (up), cheered, gladdened, animated, enlivened, invigorated, enforced, fortified, reinforced, strengthened, assured, reassured, boosted, energized, excited, galvanized, inspired, lifted, provoked, quickened, rallied, stimulated, stirred

  3. to lower in character, dignity, or quality

    "felt society as a whole has been demoralized by the widespread availability of pornography"

    similar: abased, bastardized, cankered, cheapened, corrupted, debased, debauched, degraded, demeaned, depraved, deteriorated, lessened, perverted, poisoned, profaned, prostituted, subverted, vitiated, warped
    related: befouled, begrimed, contaminated, defiled, diluted, dirtied, polluted, tainted, thinned, watered down, weakened, descended, disgraced, dishonored, humbled, humiliated, shamed, took down, blemished, damaged, defaced, destroyed, flawed, harmed, hurt, impaired, marred, ruined, spoiled, stained, tarnished, wrecked, depreciated, downgraded
    opposite: elevated, ennobled, uplifted
    near: dignified, exalted, honored, ameliorated, amended, bettered, enhanced, enriched, improved, meliorated, perfected, clarified, cleaned, cleansed, purified, refined, restored, respected

Related Entry: Demoralize (verb)

Demoralize is a different word from Demoralized. The synonyms below are for demoralize, not for demoralized.

  1. to deprive of courage or confidence

    "the mere sight of the forbidding cliffs demoralized the climbers"

    similar: emasculate, paralyze, undo, unman, unnerve, unstring
    related: debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, neuter, weaken, prostrate, sap, soften, tire, waste, frighten, intimidate, psych (out), scare, terrify, terrorize, daunt, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, craze, derange, madden, unbalance, unhinge, discompose, disquiet, disturb, faze, perturb, unsettle, upset, weird out
    opposite: nerve
    near: fortify, strengthen, embolden, encourage, hearten

  2. to lessen the courage or confidence of

    "we refused to be demoralized by our humiliating defeat and vowed to come roaring back the following week"

    similar: chill, daunt, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, frustrate, unman, unnerve, throw cold water on
    related: browbeat, bully, cow, intimidate, depress, sadden, weigh, afflict, try, damp, dampen, deaden, distress, trouble, bother, irk, vex, worry, debilitate, enfeeble, undermine, weaken, frighten, horrify, scare
    opposite: embolden, encourage, hearten, nerve, steel
    near: buoy (up), cheer, gladden, animate, enliven, invigorate, enforce, fortify, reinforce, strengthen, assure, reassure, boost, energize, excite, galvanize, inspire, lift, provoke, quicken, rally, stimulate, stir

  3. to lower in character, dignity, or quality

    "felt society as a whole has been demoralized by the widespread availability of pornography"

    similar: abase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt, debase, debauch, degrade, demean, deprave, deteriorate, lessen, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, subvert, vitiate, warp
    related: befoul, begrime, contaminate, defile, dilute, dirty, pollute, taint, thin, water down, weaken, descend, disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, shame, take down, blemish, damage, deface, destroy, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, mar, ruin, spoil, stain, tarnish, wreck, depreciate, downgrade
    opposite: elevate, ennoble, uplift
    near: dignify, exalt, honor, ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect, clarify, clean, cleanse, purify, refine, restore, respect

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Demoralized

The most common words with a similar meaning to Demoralized:

corrupt, debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, degraded, depraved, dissipated, dissolute, jackleg, libertine, loose, perverse, perverted, rakehell, rakish, reprobate, sick, unclean, unwholesome, warped, emasculated, paralyzed, undid, unmanned, unnerved, unstrung, chilled, daunted, discouraged, disheartened, dismayed, dispirited, frustrated, abased, bastardized, cankered, cheapened, corrupted, demeaned

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Demoralized

Words with the opposite meaning of Demoralized:

pure, uncorrupt, uncorrupted, nerved, emboldened, encouraged, heartened, steeled, elevated, ennobled, uplifted

Related Words for Demoralized

bent, crooked, cutthroat, dishonest, unethical, unprincipled, unscrupulous, contaminated, spoiled, tainted, bad, evil, immoral, iniquitous, miscreant, nefarious, sinful, vicious, wicked, debilitated, enervated, enfeebled, neutered, weakened, prostrated, sapped, softened, tired, wasted, frightened

Near Antonyms of Demoralized

incorruptible, ethical, honest, principled, good, moral, righteous, virtuous, fortified, strengthened, buoyed (up), cheered, gladdened, animated, enlivened, invigorated, enforced, reinforced, assured, reassured, boosted, energized, excited, galvanized, inspired, lifted, provoked, quickened, rallied, stimulated

Word Forms of Demoralized

Inflections: demoralizing, demoralizes

Derived words: demoralization (noun), demoralizer (noun), demoralizingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Demoralized

First known use: 1794

Frequently Asked Questions about Demoralized

What does "Demoralized" mean?

"Demoralized" means to cause to turn aside or away from what is good or true or morally right, to corrupt the morals of. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to cause to turn aside or away from what is good or true or morally right, to corrupt the morals of. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Demoralized"?

Other words for "Demoralized" include corrupt, debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, degraded, depraved and dissipated. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Demoralized" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Demoralized"?

There are 145 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Demoralized". Common alternatives include corrupt, debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, degraded, depraved, dissipated, dissolute and jackleg.

What is the opposite of "Demoralized"?

Antonyms of "Demoralized" include pure, uncorrupt, uncorrupted, nerved, emboldened, encouraged, heartened and steeled. Near antonyms include incorruptible, ethical, honest and principled.

How do you use "Demoralized" in a sentence?

Examples of "Demoralized" in a sentence: "a demoralized nation that had forgotten the values that once made it great"; "the mere sight of the forbidding cliffs demoralized the climbers"; "we refused to be demoralized by our humiliating defeat and vowed to come roaring back the following week".

Is "Demoralized" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Demoralized" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Demoralized"?

"Demoralized" is pronounced /di-ˈmȯr-ə-ˌlīz/ and divided into syllables as de·mor·al·ize.

What is the origin of the word "Demoralized"?

First known use: 1794.