different between discourage vs discourager

English

Etymology

From Middle French descourager (modern French décourager), from Old French descouragier, from des- and corage. Surface analysis dis- +? courage.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /d?s?k???d??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /d?s?k??d??/
• Hyphenation: dis?cour?age

Verb

discourage (third-person singular simple present discourages, present participle discouraging, simple past and past participle discouraged) (transitive)

1. (transitive) To extinguish the courage of; to dishearten; to depress the spirits of; to deprive of confidence; to deject.

   • Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

2. (transitive) To persuade somebody not to do (something).
   • 1854, Abraham Lincoln. Notes for a Law Lecture

     Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can.

Synonyms

• becourage
• deter
• dissuade

Antonyms

• encourage

Translations

Noun

discourage (uncountable)

1. (rare) Lack of courage

Synonyms

• (lack of courage): cowardliness

Further reading

• discourage in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

discourage +? -er

Noun

discourager (plural discouragers)

1. One who discourages.
   • 1849, George Cornewall Lewis, An Essay on the Influence of Authority in Matters of Opinion

     the promoter of truth and the discourager of error