discouraged him from

USAGE SUMMARY

"discouraged him from" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It generally means to dissuade or prevent someone from doing something. It can be used in various contexts, but it is typically used when someone is trying to convince or persuade someone else not to do something. Here are a few examples: 1. His parents discouraged him from dropping out of college, reminding him of the importance of education. 2. The negative reviews discouraged him from seeing the movie. 3. The constant setbacks discouraged him from pursuing his dream of becoming a professional musician. 4. The rainy weather discouraged him from going for a run. 5. The lack of support from his team discouraged him from participating in the competition.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

But that hardly discouraged him from bringing his invention to market earlier this year through a company called BabySport.

The New York Times

Allison's mentors discouraged him from pursuing research on T-cells.

The New Yorker

But he says they discouraged him from following them.

The Guardian - Film

But the woman he called Mama discouraged him from marriage.

The New York Times - Arts

The professor, Susan Nelson, discouraged him from pursuing the field, as the language is so difficult.

Columbia University

His physicians discouraged him from gaining more weight and yo-yo dieting, he said.

The New York Times - Sports

Ramachandran's father discouraged him from pursuing a career as a researcher.

The New Yorker

"I strongly discouraged him from going to Yemen," Imam Muhaimin said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

In northern India, some castes' monopolies have discouraged them from leaving their traditionally prescribed employment.

The Economist

He was also involved in a contract dispute with his label, Bang Records, that prevented him from recording, and discouraged live venues from booking him.

The Guardian - Music

This discouraged youths from entering the field, creating the temporary shortages of today.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "discouraged him from", ensure the context clearly indicates who or what caused the discouragement and what action was being discouraged.

Common error

Avoid using "discouraged him from" when a stronger word like "prevented" or "prohibited" is more appropriate, especially if there was an explicit ban or legal restriction involved.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "discouraged him from" functions as a verb phrase where "discouraged" is the main verb in the past tense, "him" is the direct object (a pronoun), and "from" introduces a prepositional phrase modifying the verb. This construction indicates that someone or something influenced the person to not pursue a specific action, as exemplified in Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Academia

15%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Science

4%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "discouraged him from" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that someone was dissuaded or prevented from pursuing a particular action. Analysis from Ludwig indicates its frequent use in News & Media, Academia, and Formal & Business contexts. Alternatives like "deterred him from" and "prevented him from" offer nuanced variations in meaning, while understanding the appropriate level of discouragement ensures precise communication. Remember to use "discouraged him from doing" and avoid using it when a stronger word is needed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

deterred him from

Replaces "discouraged" with a synonym that emphasizes preventing action through fear or doubt; slightly stronger connotation.

dissuaded him from

A more formal synonym for "discouraged", implying persuasion against a course of action.

prevented him from

Focuses on the action of stopping him, rather than influencing his decision.

talked him out of

An informal alternative meaning to persuade someone not to do something.

advised him against

Highlights the giving of advice as a means of discouraging.

cautioned him against

Focuses on warning him about potential risks.

restrained him from

Implies a degree of force or control in preventing the action.

hindered him from

Suggests that obstacles were put in his way, making it difficult to proceed.

impeded him from

Similar to 'hindered', but can also imply a physical obstruction.

put him off

An informal expression meaning to cause someone to lose interest or enthusiasm.

FAQs

How to use "discouraged him from" in a sentence?

Use "discouraged him from" to indicate that someone or something made him less likely to do something. For example, "His parents "discouraged him from" dropping out of college".

What can I say instead of "discouraged him from"?

You can use alternatives like "deterred him from", "dissuaded him from", or "prevented him from" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "discouraged him from doing" or "discouraged him to do"?

"Discouraged him from doing" is the correct grammatical structure. The preposition "from" requires a gerund (doing) rather than an infinitive (to do).

What's the difference between "discouraged him from" and "prevented him from"?

"Discouraged him from" implies a lessening of enthusiasm or motivation, while "prevented him from" indicates a complete obstruction or stoppage of an action. "Discouraged" is less forceful than "prevented".