desanimar

Senses

1. 1.

   to discourage, to dishearten

   to cause someone to lose motivation, courage, or hope

2. 2.

   to get discouraged, to lose heart

   to lose motivation, enthusiasm, or hope (pronominal: desanimar-se)

3. 3.

   to dampen, to put a damper on

   to reduce enthusiasm or energy in a situation or event

Examples

• "Não deixe as críticas te desanimarem."

  Don't let criticism discourage you.

• "Ela se desanimou quando viu o resultado da prova."

  She got discouraged when she saw her test results.

• "A chuva desanimou todo mundo da festa."

  The rain put a damper on everyone at the party.

Usage

Very common verb in everyday Brazilian Portuguese. Often used pronominally (desanimar-se) meaning "to get discouraged." The opposite is "animar" (to encourage, cheer up). Common collocations include "desanimar com" (to get discouraged about/with) and "não desanima!" (don't give up! / hang in there!).