unencouraging

adjective

Definition of unencouragingnext
as in irreparable

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unencouraging
  1. irreparable
  2. unpromising
  3. irreversible
  4. unrepentant
Adjective
  • The Justice Department ultimately argued that the outlets have not established irreparable harm and that the balance of equities and public interest favors the government.
    — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Amazon is calling for people to support AI data center projects, or risk irreparable harm to the US economy and national security.
    — Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of irreparable
Adjective
  • From those unpromising beginnings, Ondaatje found, in his writing, newness and, in language, a certain freedom.
    — Amitava Kumar, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The surprising discovery awaiting us below the thicket of its atmosphere has quashed the notion that worlds far from the Sun are unpromising destinations in the search for life-supporting environments.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 May 2026
Definition of unpromising
Adjective
  • Make nothing irreversible in the same meeting where the anger showed up.
    — Larry Bomback, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Other children are developing severe and irreversible neurological damage because of brain inflammation, or encephalitis, Shirey said.
    — Erika Edwards, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of irreversible
Adjective
  • Some twenty thousand subscribers went with him, but Doyle was unrepentant.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The Housewife is certainly at its most potent during those earlier sequences, when Sheridan’s Lelyveld is under the mistaken impression that Hermine Ryan is the unwitting victim rather than the unrepentant perpetrator.
    — Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of unrepentant
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.

Browse Nearby Words

unenchanted
unencouraging
unendearing
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unencouraging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unencouraging. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of galore

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All