dispirit

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /dɪsˈpɪrɪt/ UK /dɪsˈpɪrɪt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to deprive of spirit, courage, or enthusiasm; dishearten

The repeated failures began to dispirit even the most hopeful volunteers.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to deprive of spirit,... dishearten discourage depress demoralize deject daunt

Opposites

encourage hearten inspire cheer embolden

Word family

Derived forms dispiriteddispiritingdispiritedlydispiritedness

Related forms spirit spirited

Etymology

Formed in English from dis- ('away, deprive of') + spirit, from Latin spiritus ('breath, spirit'), from spirare ('to breathe').

dis- Latin spiritus Latin spirare Latin

View etymology graph ->

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# dispirit

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /dɪsˈpɪrɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪsˈpɪrɪt/

## Meanings
1. to deprive of spirit, courage, or enthusiasm; dishearten

## Examples
- The repeated failures began to dispirit even the most hopeful volunteers.

## Synonyms
- dishearten
- discourage
- depress
- demoralize
- deject
- daunt

## Antonyms
- encourage
- hearten
- inspire
- cheer
- embolden

## Derived Forms
- dispirited
- dispiriting
- dispiritedly
- dispiritedness

## Related Forms
- spirit
- spirited

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: dis-
- Root: spiritus
- Root: spirare

## Etymology
Formed in English from dis- ('away, deprive of') + spirit, from Latin spiritus ('breath, spirit'), from spirare ('to breathe').

## AI Etymology
Dispirit has the etymological history Formed in English from dis- ('away, deprive of') + spirit, from Latin spiritus ('breath, spirit'), from spirare ('to breathe'). The ancestry passes through Latin dis-, Latin spiritus, and Latin spirare. The prefix dis- often marks separation, reversal, or negation in Latin and English formations, helping to explain the word's surface structure. In present use as a verb, it means "to deprive of spirit, courage, or enthusiasm; dishearten", keeping the historical formation close to the word's ordinary semantic work. Related words include spirit and spirited; derived forms include dispirited, dispiriting, dispiritedly, and dispiritedness.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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dispirit

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