encourage
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence.
His coach encouraged him throughout the marathon race to keep on running.
- Antonyms:
- dishearten, discourage
-
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.
verb
-
to inspire (someone) with the courage or confidence (to do something)
-
to stimulate (something or someone to do something) by approval or help; support
Other Word Forms
- encouragement noun
- encourager noun
- encouraging adjective
- encouragingly adverb
- overencourage verb (used with object)
- preencourage verb (used with object)
- reencourage verb (used with object)
- unencouraged adjective
- unencouraging adjective
- well-encouraged adjective
Etymology
Origin of encourage
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English encoragen, from Anglo-French, Middle French encorag(i)er; en- 1 ( def. ), courage ( def. )
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.
Streisand highlighted Redford’s “backbone, on and off the screen,” speaking about his efforts to support the free press, protect the environment and encourage new voices through his Sundance Institute based in Utah.
From Los Angeles Times
The Centre for Homelessness Impact, which commissioned the study, says the outcomes should encourage councils to "consider direct financial support for young people leaving care, with no strings attached".
From BBC
"When I think about the future, I'm encouraged more young people are joining and how they grasp the issue," she says.
From BBC
OpenAI also trains its models not to encourage exclusive relationships with users, and to remind users that they need to have relationships in the real world, the spokeswoman added.
A spokesperson added: "Highways inspectors carry out regular inspections across the network, but we also encourage residents to report any potholes they encounter."
From BBC
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.
