discourage
UK: dɪsˈkʌrɪdʒ | US: dɪsˈkɜːrɪdʒ
vt. to deprive of courage or confidence
vt. to dissuade or deter someone from doing something
vt. to hinder or oppose (an action or plan)
The word "discourage" originates from Old French descouragier, combining the prefix des- (Latin dis-, meaning "away" or "opposite") with corage (from Latin cor, meaning "heart"). The term evolved to signify "depriving someone of heart or bravery," later extending to mean actively dissuading or hindering an action. The logic reflects a shift from internal emotional impact ("losing courage") to external influence ("deterring someone").
Harsh criticism can discourage young artists from pursuing their passion.
The government launched campaigns to discourage smoking.
Poor weather discouraged us from hiking that day.
She refused to let failures discourage her ambitions.
High costs may discourage investment in renewable energy.