discountenance

UK: /dɪsˈkaʊntɪnəns/ US: (dis koun′tn əns)

Inflections of 'discountenance' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

discountenances

v 3rd person singular

discountenancing

v pres p

discountenanced

v past

discountenanced

v past p

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

dis•coun•te•nance  (dis koun′tn əns), v., -nanced, -nanc•ing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to disconcert, embarrass, or abash:
   With his composure, he survived every attempt to discountenance him.
2. to show disapproval of:
   The teachers discountenanced smoking by the students.

n. 

3. disapproval;
   disapprobation.

• dis-¹ + countenance 1570–80

dis•coun′te•nanc•er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

discountenance / dɪsˈkaʊntɪnəns/ verb (transitive)

1. to make ashamed or confused
2. to disapprove of