The person no longer sees a reason to keep trying.
To take the "soul" or "spirit" out of a person’s efforts. Daunt: To intimidate or cause someone to lose courage [3]. demoralise
Constant changes in rules or expectations can make a person feel they can never win. The person no longer sees a reason to keep trying
A sports team might be demoralized if the opponent scores several goals in the first few minutes, making a comeback feel impossible [2]. Constant changes in rules or expectations can make
Historically, psychological warfare focuses on demoralizing the enemy to encourage surrender without further fighting [1]. Key Characteristics
Making someone feel like they are fighting alone often breaks their spirit faster than any physical challenge. Synonyms and Nuance
To someone is to undermine their confidence, spirit, or hope. It is less about physical defeat and more about winning the "inner war" by making an opponent or individual feel that their efforts are futile [1, 2]. Core Meaning