to discountenance

Examples

• All

• Esther appeared discountenanced but quickly recovered herself.

  Fiction book (1998)

• But that possibility is discountenanced by the fact that it appears to be confined to these Juvenal translations.

  Academic text (2002)

• ("Mrs." was a word somewhat discountenanced by the Party—you were supposed to call everyone "comrade"—but with some women, one used it instinctively.)

  Fiction book (1998)

• "We cannot in the least doubt your Excellency's discountenancing these petitioners, censuring the disturbers of the peace of this county, and by your favorable construction of all our designs and actions encourage us to go on in our duty with alacrity," the magistrates declared.

  Academic text (1990)

• In his history of twin worship in Yorubaland, Johnson (1921:25) observed that when a "custom was set or discountenanced at the Metropolis, the effect thereof was rapidly felt all over the country."

  Academic text (2001)

• Kline (1996, p. 15, footnote 47): "In this article, I have advocated an interpretation of biblical cosmogony according to which Scripture is open to the current scientific view of a very old universe and, in that respect, does not discountenance the theory of the evolutionary origin of man."

  Blog text (8)

• The teacher decided to discountenance any form of cheating in the exam to ensure fairness.

• During the meeting, she discountenanced the proposal, arguing it wouldn't benefit the community.

Synonyms

D

to discount

vsto discountenance

75 4.2

To treat something as unimportant and ignore it

expresses negative judgment aiming to discourage rather than simply ignore

F

to frown upon

vsto discountenance

23 4.2

To think something is not acceptable

expresses formal discouragement or opposition rather than only social judgement

R

to reprove

vsto discountenance

5 7.3

Tell someone gently that what they did was wrong

expresses disapproval aimed to discourage rather than gently correct

D

to demur

vsto discountenance

• Formal

3 8.9

Show that you disagree or are unwilling, often for legal and moral reasons

expresses disapproval to discourage action rather than merely refuse or object

Antonyms

A

to approve

∞ 1.6

To officially agree to something or think that it is good

How Disapproving

to condemn

298 4.0

to discountenance

• Formal

9.9

to disapprove

94 2.9

to frown on

14 3.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology