Cool MateDiscourage vs They're bringing her down now
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Discourage
They're bringing her down now
| Discourage | They're bringing her down now | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/dɪsˈkʌrɪdʒ/","/dɪsˈkʌrɪdʒɪz/","/dɪsˈkʌrɪdʒd/","/dɪsˈkʌrɪdʒɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/dɪsˈkɜːrɪdʒ/","/dɪsˈkɜːrɪdʒɪz/","/dɪsˈkɜːrɪdʒd/","/dɪsˈkɜːrɪdʒɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðeə brɪŋɪŋ hɜː dān naʊ//🇺🇸 //ðɛr brɪŋɪŋ hɜr daʊn naʊ// |
| Meaning | to make someone feel less confident or hopeful | They are making her feel sad or less confident. |
| Example | The teacher did not want to discourage the students from trying challenging problems. | I can see that they're bringing her down now during the conversation. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | actively, positively, strongly, try to, from, (not) easily discouraged, actively, positively, strongly, try to, from, (not) easily discouraged | bring someone down, feel down, emotional impact, negative influence, mood swing |
| Antonyms | encourage, support, motivate | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'discouraged' which describes a feeling., Using 'discourage' without an object, e.g., saying 'I discourage' without specifying what., Incorrectly using 'discourage' in a context where 'support' would be better. | Confused with 'bring down' meaning to lower in rank or status., Using the phrase in a formal context where a different expression is required. |
| Usage notes | Use 'discourage' when talking about preventing someone from doing something, especially in a supportive context. Avoid using it in overly negative or harsh situations. | Use this phrase in informal contexts to describe someone's negative influence on another person's mood or confidence. |
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Frequently asked questions: Discourage vs They're bringing her down now
What's the difference between Discourage and They're bringing her down now?
Discourage: to make someone feel less confident or hopeful They're bringing her down now: They are making her feel sad or less confident.
Which is more common: Discourage and They're bringing her down now?
Discourage is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Discourage: The teacher did not want to discourage the students from trying challenging problems. They're bringing her down now: I can see that they're bringing her down now during the conversation.
Can I use Discourage and They're bringing her down now interchangeably?
Not always. Discourage and They're bringing her down now are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.