Standard Lemma guide

demoralize

verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /dɪˈmɒɹəlaɪz/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 M AO1 R AH0 L AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To destroy the morale of; to dishearten.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: daunt, deter, discourage

Antonyms: encourage, hearten

2

verb

Meaning 2

To erode the moral adherence of; to corrupt.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, dated, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: immoralize, unmoralize, warp, adulterate, corrupt, debauch, demoralize, detort, file, lead astray, pervert, pollute, preposterate, seduce, sophisticate, suborn, subvert, tamper, vitiate

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

confuse or put into disorder

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the boss's behavior demoralized everyone in the office

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: confuse, throw, fox, befuddle, fuddle, bedevil, confound, discombobulate

4

verb

Meaning 4

lower someone's spirits; make downhearted

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • These news depressed her
  • The bad state of her child's health demoralizes her

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: depress, deject, cast down, get down, dismay, dispirit, demoralise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: discourage

Narrower terms: chill

5

verb

Meaning 5

corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • debauch the young people with wine and women
  • Socrates was accused of corrupting young men
  • Do school counselors subvert young children?
  • corrupt the morals

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: corrupt, pervert, subvert, demoralise, debauch, debase, profane, vitiate, deprave, misdirect

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

Narrower terms: sensualize, sensualise, carnalize, carnalise, infect, lead off, lead astray, poison, bastardize, bastardise, suborn

History

Etymology

From French démoraliser.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: desmoralitzar — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Czech: demoralizovat — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Danish: demoralisere — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Esperanto: demoralizi — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • French: démoraliser — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • German: demoralisieren — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Greek: αποκαρδιώνω (apokardióno) — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Italian: demoralizzare — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Luxembourgish: demoraliséieren — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Māori: whakakiwakiwa — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Polish: demoralizować — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Polish: zdemoralizować — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Russian: деморализовать (demoralizovatʹ) — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Spanish: desmoralizar — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Spanish: comer la moral — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Swedish: demoralisera — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Turkish: demoralize etmek — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Turkish: moralini bozmak — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Ukrainian: деморалізовувати (demoralizovuvaty) — to destroy morale; to dishearten
  • Ukrainian: деморалізувати (demoralizuvaty) — to destroy morale; to dishearten