Disheartening

B2 16+
Pronunciation Definitions Examples Grammatical Forms Origin and Evolution

Pronunciation: /dɪsˈhɑːrtənɪŋ/

Definitions of disheartening

adjective causing someone to lose confidence or enthusiasm; discouraging

Example Sentences

A1 Failing a test can be disheartening for students.

A2 Losing a competition can be disheartening, but it's important to keep trying.

B1 Receiving a rejection letter from a job can be disheartening, but it's not the end of the world.

B2 Facing constant criticism from your boss can be disheartening and affect your confidence at work.

C1 Experiencing repeated failures in your career can be disheartening, but it's important to learn from them and keep moving forward.

C2 Witnessing the destruction caused by natural disasters can be disheartening, but it can also inspire communities to come together and rebuild.

Examples of disheartening in a Sentence

formal The results of the study were disheartening, showing a significant decrease in biodiversity.

informal It's really disheartening to see so much litter on the beach.

slang It's disheartening when things don't go as planned, but we just have to keep pushing forward.

figurative Watching her dreams crumble was truly disheartening, like a dark cloud hanging over her head.

Grammatical Forms of disheartening

past tense

disheartened

plural

disheartening

comparative

more disheartening

superlative

most disheartening

present tense

disheartens

future tense

will dishearten

perfect tense

has disheartened

continuous tense

is disheartening

singular

disheartening

positive degree

disheartening

infinitive

to dishearten

gerund

disheartening

participle

disheartened

Origin and Evolution of disheartening

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The word 'disheartening' is derived from the combination of 'dis-' meaning 'apart' or 'away' and 'hearten' meaning 'to give courage or confidence'.
Evolution of the word: Over time, 'disheartening' has retained its original meaning of causing someone to lose courage or confidence, but it has also come to be used more broadly to describe anything that is discouraging or demoralizing.