DEMORALIZATION Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

demoralization

noun

Definition of demoralization

as in degradation

a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior a general state of demoralization prevailed at every level of the government

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in despair

the state of being discouraged the officers struggled to combat the demoralization of the troops as their tour of duty grew longer

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of demoralization Because many women have dealt with demoralization and shame for years, cognitive behavioral therapy can also help. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 July 2026 The result is exhaustion and quiet demoralization. — Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks, Fortune, 13 May 2026 Would your organization be able to recover from the loss and demoralization to do its work? — Tracy Stone-Manning, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2026 Nothing could quite match that, but Michigan’s 90-73 demoralization of Arizona got close. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026 The melancholy truth is that things have sunk into a morass of demoralization and low standards, with journalism inhabiting the poverty sector among the disciplines, and this at a time when communications nationally and internationally have reached an apex of urgency and complexity. — David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for demoralization

Noun

The species’ coastal habitats, such as mangroves and reefs, have also suffered loss and degradation due to urban development and climate change.

— Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
There is no warping, no heat distortion and no structural degradation.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of degradation

Noun

Along with a brief moment of tenderness Sara experiences with her class’s resident dork, this feminine camaraderie makes for a nugget of niceness in a sea of despair.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026
Yet the film’s firmest punch is packed in the despair and dignity of Sul’s performance, as a man coming to terms with how much he’s lost.

— David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of despair

Noun

Democrats avoid division The Democrats’ corruption talk of 2026 checks all of these boxes.

— Robert Boatright, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
The limited testimony that led to the grand jury’s decision not to bring criminal charges reveals a larger culture of secrecy and corruption in Tallahassee, said José Javier Rodríguez, the Democrat running to unseat Uthmeier in November.

— Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of corruption

Noun

In an appearance on Semafor’s Mixed Signals in the wake of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s win, Piker expressed dismay at being invoked in intra-Democratic debates.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Over the last six years, the pair have made a series of explosive allegations about what life was like inside the monarchy, much to the dismay of many members of the British royal family.

— Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of dismay

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“Demoralization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demoralization. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of demoralization

noun

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