encouragement
Americannoun
-
the act of encouraging.
-
the state of being encouraged.
-
something that encourages.
Praise is the greatest encouragement.
- Synonyms:
- endorsement, lift, boost, support, praise
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of encouragement
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.
Vocabulary lists containing encouragement
Catching Fire
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"Refugees Find New Lives"
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Taste of Salt
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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.
As in North Carolina, the Ohio agents were getting encouragement from prosecutors, including Kenneth Parker, the then-U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.
From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026
While there is no certainty that an offer will be made, rival airlines might see some reason for encouragement if a portion of easyJet’s aircraft were reassigned to other markets, the analyst says.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026
She also created poetry out of her teen experience of chronic illness, but it wasn't until she received encouragement from lecturers that she began "sending work out to the world".
From BBC • May 30, 2026
The “long on the road” theme continues in the infectious, fiddle-driven “I Got a Feelin’,” which offers encouragement for a long struggling and debilitated performer: “gotta feelin’ that this song ain’t over yet.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
Ivan sat beside Alfhercht, speaking unsteady words with his fingers and grinning stupidly when Alfhercht nodded with encouragement.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
