adjective. Causing loss of hope or enthusiasm.

adjective. Causing to lose heart; making despondent or gloomy; scare; discourage.

verb. Present participle of dishearten.

adjective. destructive of morale and self-reliance

"Equally disheartening is the fact that the Iranian authorities are repressing women in a far more dangerous and direct way than passing draconian "family protection" laws: dozens, if not hundreds of women's rights activists have been personally targeted for arrest or extralegal attacks."

discouraging  

heartening  smartening  

appal  cheerless  daunt  disappoint  disastrous  

alarming  awing  black  bleak  chilling  

dishearten