Demoralized

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Experiencing a loss of confidence and spirit, leading to feelings of discouragement and hopelessness or undermining morale within a group
2. A state of being rendered ineffective or dispirited due to a negative event, resulting in diminished enthusiasm and motivation
3. Having one's courage and morale shaken, often due to adverse circumstances that cause feelings of inadequacy and pessimism

Etymology: The adjective "demoralized" is the past participle of a verb that came into English from French "démoraliser," itself built on "moral," which the French borrowed from Latin "moralis," meaning "relating to manners or conduct." The original sense of the verb was to undermine someone's moral character or discipline, to corrupt or lower their standards of conduct, rather than merely to dampen their spirits. Over time the sense shifted from morals in the strict sense toward morale, the feeling of confidence, purpose and resolve that a person or group has. The word for a group's collective spirit, "morale," came from French as well, and the two terms drifted together so that "demoralized" now describes losing that inner steadiness in the face of defeat, setback or discouragement. The moral-conduct meaning and the modern emotional meaning remain connected through the idea of a person's internal condition.

Synonyms: disheartened, discouraged, dejected, dismayed, despondent

Antonyms: encouraged, uplifted, emboldened, motivated, inspired