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:
Programs like its price-match guarantee for select hotels and up to 15% in Airbnb credits toward future bookings encourage travelers to re-engage with the platform later.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
Owing to Tourette's often being genetic, Cole says if her son develops the condition she will encourage to him to "harness" its "huge strengths".
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Bigham said the findings could encourage broader research into human populations living at high elevations, where people face challenges that extend beyond low oxygen.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026
Yet RCV has been proven to lower the temperature in races like this and encourage conversation, coalition-building and respect.
From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2026
My joke gets a few laughs, and it’s enough to encourage me to keep going.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
The findings raise questions about public health advice that encourages people to reduce sweet-tasting foods as a way to combat overweight and obesity.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026
Welcome to this week’s edition of the Surge, Slate’s politics newsletter that encourages you to get some rest this August.
From Slate ● Aug. 8, 2026
Critics say Whatnot’s design encourages overspending and that the company does too little to combat fraud and underage use.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
It destroys the ties that bind and encourages anger and petulance.
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2026
“You should totally do it, though,” Soojin encourages.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
According to the medical professionals he consulted, the likelihood that the low-grade glioma would turn into something aggressive was high and he was encouraged to treat the lesion while in its early stages.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
McGurn said: "I'm encouraged by this momentum, and shareholders should expect more frequent communication from us on our progress each quarter as we enter this next chapter."
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
"We continue to be encouraged by the progress being made toward the remaining approvals required for drilling," Greenland Energy said in a letter to shareholders.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
The U.S.’s July payrolls report encouraged investors to price in a softer labor-market path, weighing on the dollar while supporting precious metals, says Sucden Financial in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Immigrants were encouraged to acculturate as quickly as they could—meaning that they must learn a new language, giving up traditions, customs, heritage, etc., in order to blend and assimilate into the general population.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
“Bring me an idea and I’ll explain why it can’t, shouldn’t, and won’t happen,” the site said, followed by a box encouraging users to type in a query.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
At first glance, this news might sound encouraging after years of headlines highlighting the reverse trend, that life expectancy was falling.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
Also, if the Bank of Japan wishes to strengthen the yen by encouraging the repatriation of Japanese capital, this could trigger huge and highly disruptive capital outflows.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
"Schools already go above and beyond in encouraging attendance, but it isn't a problem that they can solve alone or that government targets will fix," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
She keeps him away by chattering with Grandpa about meaningless facts of various small towns, keeps him away by answering the encouraging texts from Luke, keeps him away with calls to Dr. Mann.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
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.
