Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for encouragement. Search instead for encourage inspire.
Synonyms

encouragement

American  
[en-kur-ij-muhnt, -kuhr-] / ɛnˈkɜr ɪdʒ mənt, -ˈkʌr- /

noun

encouragements plural
  1. the act of encouraging.

  2. the state of being encouraged.

  3. something that encourages.

    Praise is the greatest encouragement.

    Synonyms:
    endorsement, lift, boost, support, praise

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of encouragement

First recorded in 1560–70; encourage + -ment

Explanation

When you help someone by offering positive words of support and approval, that's encouragement. It must have been the words of encouragement you gave in the airport lounge that helped your friend board the plane. Within the word encouragement we see the word "courage," which means the ability to face danger and deal with it. To encourage, then, is to help develop that ability in someone, while the "ment" at the end makes that development into a noun, the act of giving courage or support to another. You needed a little encouragement to try horse riding again, after your injuries healed.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing encouragement

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:

“I’ve always been a little skeptical of the government’s encouragement to delay claiming benefits.”

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 13, 2026

I’ve always been a little skeptical of the government’s encouragement to delay claiming benefits.

From MarketWatch Jul. 11, 2026

“Everyone had a little bit of feedback that she gave, both encouragement and also points of improvement for each person, and I think it was received,” Ogwumike said.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 9, 2026

Video footage seen in court showed her lying motionless on the ground with "her face buried in her hands", while another boy was heard shouting words of encouragement.

From BBC Jul. 1, 2026

The ideas of parent responsibility, loving encouragement, constant repetition, etc., are some of the special features of the Suzuki approach.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

I wonder how well and efficiently he would have written it with frequent and intermittent shouts being thrown his way, regardless of whether they were insults or encouragements.

From The Wall Street Journal Oct. 6, 2025

A group of men were using their bare hands to try and free her as an anxious crowd stood outside, calling out encouragements to the rescuers.

From Reuters Nov. 7, 2023

To get out of the slump and push the quality upward again, I clap my hands and shout encouragements like a ranting soccer coach: “Come on now!”

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 20, 2023

They grunted and hooted un-self-consciously, razzing one another and shouting encouragements, using nicknames generated by the group.

From New York Times Sep. 24, 2022

The girl murmured encouragements: “Come on, Winnie. There’s a good pigeon. Show us the way.”

From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training