Discourage and Intimidate

Discourage

Discourage verb - To lessen the courage or confidence of.
Usage example: I didn't let losing discourage me from trying again

Intimidate is a synonym for discourage in dishearten topic. In some cases you can use "Intimidate" instead a verb "Discourage", when it comes to topics like scare, put off.

Nearby Words: discouragement, discouraging

Intimidate

Intimidate verb - To compel or deter by or as if by threats.

Discourage is a synonym for intimidate in scare topic. You can use "Discourage" instead a verb "Intimidate", if it concerns topics such as frighten.

Nearby Words: intimidating, intimidation

Common collocations

people discourage people intimidate people
someone discourage someone intimidate someone
guard discourage guard intimidate guard
anyone discourage anyone intimidate anyone
Other words: humans, fans, opponents, enemies, animals, heroes, nations.

Both words in one sentence

  • The CIA itself plays up its reputation for ruthlessness when necessary, the better to intimidate adversaries and discourage informants from turning on or deceiving them.
Cite this Source
Intimidate and Discourage. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/discourage/intimidate
Discourage & Intimidate. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/discourage/intimidate>.
Intimidate or Discourage. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/discourage/intimidate.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "discourage" and "intimidate" have occurred on timeline