encourage
Americanverb (used with object)
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encourages,
present (3rd person singular)
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encouraged,
past participle, past
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encouraging
present participle
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to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence.
His coach encouraged him throughout the marathon race to keep on running.
- Antonyms:
- dishearten, discourage
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to stimulate by assistance, approval, etc..
One of the chief duties of a teacher is to encourage students.
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to promote, advance, or foster.
Poverty often encourages crime.
verb
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to inspire (someone) with the courage or confidence (to do something)
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to stimulate (something or someone to do something) by approval or help; support
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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encouragementnoun
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encouragernoun
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overencourageverb (used with object)
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preencourageverb (used with object)
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reencourageverb (used with object)
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encouragingadjective
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unencouragedadjective
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unencouragingadjective
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well-encouragedadjective
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encouraginglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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encouragesimple
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encouragessimple
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have encouragedperfect
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has encouragedperfect
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am encouragingprogressive
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are encouragingprogressive
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is encouragingprogressive
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have been encouragingperfect progressive
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has been encouragingperfect progressive
Past
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encouragedsimple
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had encouragedperfect
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was encouragingprogressive
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were encouragingprogressive
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had been encouragingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of encourage
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English encoragen, from Anglo-French, Middle French encorag(i)er; see en- 1 ( def. ), courage ( def. )
Explanation
When you encourage someone, you give him or her the courage or confidence to do something, like when you encourage your little brother to play harder by yelling his name from the sidelines of the soccer field. The word encourage comes from the Old French word encoragier, meaning "make strong, hearten." When you encourage the tomato plants in your garden, you water them to promote their growth and health. Encourage can also mean to inspire with hope, like when you encourage your friends to try out for the school play by complimenting their singing and acting talents.
Vocabulary lists containing encourage
Motherlode: A Mother's Day Lexicon
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Body Language: Cor, Cord, Cardio ("Heart")
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Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
She added: "We'd encourage visitors to keep their eyes peeled next time they're walking through the gardens."
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Headquartered in a vast, imposing 1960s-designed block in Geneva, the ILO aims to promote rights at work, encourage good employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
I implore you to encourage her to keep her options open about applying in the United States, as there are more financial aid options.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026
Not too long ago, companies were doling out bonuses to encourage AI use.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
“Trust me, Duke. They’ll delay new episodes until you’re better if we—or rather, I—can encourage Fred to make a few more embarrassing blunders.”
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
“Critically, it also maintains the importance of California’s successful transfer pathway and encourages the CSU and community colleges to continue to work together, leveraging each other’s strengths to serve all students to the fullest.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
The sumptuous array of works encourages us to wonder about the person who assembled them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
This update incentivized lengthy carousels of multi-image posts, especially with some educational content attached that encourages viewer engagement via swipes or saves.
From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026
"My dearest wish is that the decision encourages other women who up until now have not had the courage to take this step," Lainault said.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
The fact that she’s said anything, however guarded, encourages me.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
On the first day of the year Cembalest encouraged investors to reduce the overweight on U.S. equities versus the rest of the world, motivated primarily by the latter’s heavily discounted valuations.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
“In Europe, we are encouraged by the steady performance of our fully electric cars. The growth in customer orders for the EX60 continues to surpass our expectations.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
Janett said children had often been encouraged to look forward rather than back.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Participants were encouraged to become more physically active, improve their diets, and take their medications as prescribed.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026
Be fearless, Detective Webster had encouraged, in everything you do.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
“The accessibility of investing in the market, and recent returns, are really encouraging and powerful tools” for young people to build wealth, Brown said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
Kunda Dixit, publisher of the Nepali Times weekly, said the government's early response had provided encouraging images of ministers and officials on the ground.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
It's a pattern seen by Nathaniel Cole, co-founder of Swim Dem Crew, a swimming group encouraging more people of colour to get into the water.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
Former NFL player Jason Kelce, a co-owner of Garage Beer, featured in a now-viral online video encouraging viewers to bottle up their urine to send to data centers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
I glance over at Agent Fiona, and she gives me an encouraging nod.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
