də̇, (ˈ)dē+ transitive verb
Etymology: de- + moral + -ize
1. : to corrupt or undermine in morals or moral principle : pervert , deprave
2.
a. : to destroy the morals or morale of : deprive of self-reliance : weaken in courage, fortitude, or spirit : render untrustworthy in efficiency and discipline
the prisoners carried on an endless war of nerves against their captors, taunting them, demoralizing them in dozens of different ways — Peter Blake
the objective of a given campaign is to demoralize enemy troops so that they will surrender or desert — L.W.Doob
b. : to upset or destroy the working order, proper functioning, or normal activity of
powerful earth currents are induced that sometimes demoralize the telegraph service — Waldemar Kaempffert
foreclosures were further demoralizing an already desperate real-estate market — F.D.Roosevelt
3. : to cast into disorder or confusion : bewilder , perplex
do many art critics deliberately set out to deceive and confuse and demoralize the public? — Huntington Hartford
the declarer was so demoralized that he discarded spades from both hands — London Times