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encourage

[ en-kur-ij, -kuhr- ]
/ ɛnˈkɜr ɪdʒ, -ˈkʌr- /
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See synonyms for: encourage / encouraged / encourages / encouraging on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), en·cour·aged, en·cour·ag·ing.
to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence: His coach encouraged him throughout the marathon race to keep on running.
to stimulate by assistance, approval, etc.: One of the chief duties of a teacher is to encourage students.
to promote, advance, or foster: Poverty often encourages crime.
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Origin of encourage

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English encoragen, from Anglo-French, Middle French encorag(i)er; see en-1, courage

OTHER WORDS FROM encourage

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use encourage in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for encourage

encourage
/ (ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒ) /

verb (tr)
to inspire (someone) with the courage or confidence (to do something)
to stimulate (something or someone to do something) by approval or help; support

Derived forms of encourage

encouragement, nounencourager, nounencouraging, adjectiveencouragingly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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