demoralize

demoralize
    v 1: corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality; "debauch
         the young people with wine and women"; "Socrates was
         accused of corrupting young men"; "Do school counselors
         subvert young children?"; "corrupt the morals" [syn:
         {corrupt}, {pervert}, {subvert}, {demoralize},
         {demoralise}, {debauch}, {debase}, {profane}, {vitiate},
         {deprave}, {misdirect}]
    2: lower someone's spirits; make downhearted; "These news
       depressed her"; "The bad state of her child's health
       demoralizes her" [syn: {depress}, {deject}, {cast down}, {get
       down}, {dismay}, {dispirit}, {demoralize}, {demoralise}]
       [ant: {elate}, {intoxicate}, {lift up}, {pick up}, {uplift}]
    3: confuse or put into disorder; "the boss's behavior
       demoralized everyone in the office"
    

Demoralize \De*mor"al*ize\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Demoralized};
   p. pr. & vb. n. {Demoralizing}.] [F. d['e]moraliser; pref.
   d['e]- (L. dis- or de) + moraliser. See {Moralize}.]
   To corrupt or undermine in morals; to destroy or lessen the
   effect of moral principles on; to render corrupt or
   untrustworthy in morals, in discipline, in courage, spirit,
   etc.; to weaken in spirit or efficiency.
   [1913 Webster]

         The demoralizing example of profligate power and
         prosperous crime.                        --Walsh.
   [1913 Webster]

         The vices of the nobility had demoralized the army.
                                                  --Bancroft.
   [1913 Webster]
    

75 Moby Thesaurus words for "demoralize":
      agitate, bastardize, bewilder, bludgeon, bluster, bluster out of,
      browbeat, brutalize, bulldoze, bully, chill, confuse, corrupt, cow,
      cripple, crush, damp, dampen, dash, daunt, debase, debauch,
      debilitate, defeat, defile, deject, deprave, depress, devitalize,
      disarrange, discomfit, disconcert, discourage, dishearten,
      disorder, disorganize, disparage, dispirit, disturb, dragoon,
      enervate, fluster, harass, hector, huff, intimidate, jumble,
      knock down, muddle, overcome, perturb, pervert, prostrate,
      psych out, rattle, shake, shake up, snarl, soil, subdue, sully,
      systematically terrorize, terrorize, threaten, unbrace, undermine,
      undo, unman, unnerve, unsettle, unstring, upset, vitiate, warp,
      weaken