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:
The district is designated an Opportunity Zone under a nearly decade-old federal provision created to encourage investment in lower-income communities by offering tax breaks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
However, the researchers emphasize that these results should not encourage cancer patients to consume diets that promote obesity.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
India's neighbour China has spent years grappling with an ageing population, rolling out measures to encourage younger people to marry and boost births as its workforce shrinks.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
So the cheaper option in most cases is to buy the bag of fun-sized treats — and encourage kids not to be greedy in how much they grab.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026
However, if there should come another occasion when you have need of the royal purse, I encourage you to ask permission first.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
The document encourages the AI to explore the idea that it is humanlike and experiences feelings, and uses excessively humanizing language for Claude “to be a good person.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
Mindfulness meditation encourages people to observe their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations without immediately judging or reacting to them.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026
It also perversely encourages allies to reduce their use of American military hardware as soon as they can.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
A poster encourages support for a baseball stadium "on behalf of Bukangi"
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026
Pa encourages him to come back home when he gets out of the hospital.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
Stock futures rose and Treasury yields eased, as falling oil prices encouraged investors to make a cautious return to risk after last week’s tech selloff.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
It proposed setting up "red" and "green" zones to clearly defining where trade and investment would be encouraged and the areas which were "off limits".
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
US Protestant missionaries encouraged Sagada's residents to bury their dead and light candles on their graves, he said.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
“The doctors are encouraged by his progress, he is awake and alert, and we are optimistic he will make a full recovery,” she added.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2026
I usually only ever wore jeans, but Audrey encouraged me to try something new.
From "Keep It Together, Keiko Carter" by Debbi Michiko Florence
Across the country, nonpartisan groups are holding last-minute voting events, encouraging people to fill out their ballots.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
Taking that level back on tour has helped Dart continue what has been an encouraging few weeks for British women in the Asian hard-court swing.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
Although the presence of this bacterium does not automatically mean someone will develop cancer, certain strains produce a powerful toxin capable of disrupting the colon's protective lining, causing inflammation, and encouraging tumor growth.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2026
They added that the king will "primarily focus on encouraging practical solutions and united efforts to address global challenges and opportunities".
From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2026
The practice of encouraging defendants to plead guilty to crimes, rather than affording them the benefit of a full trial, has always carried its risks and downsides.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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