encourage
verb
en·cour·age in-ˈkər-ij 
-ˈkə-rij,
en-
encouraged; encouraging
transitive verb
1
a
: to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope : hearten
she was encouraged to continue by her early success
b
: to attempt to persuade : urge
they encouraged him to go back to school
2
: to spur on : stimulate
warm weather encourages plant growth
3
: to give help or patronage to : foster
government grants designed to encourage conservation
encourager noun
Synonyms
- bear up
- buck up
- buoy (up)
- cheer (up)
- chirk (up)
- embolden
- hearten
- inspire
- inspirit
- steel
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
They encouraged us in our work. Encourage each other with kind words. The program is meant to encourage savings. Warm weather encourages plant growth. He claims the new regulations will encourage investment. He claims the new regulations will encourage people to invest. We want to encourage students to read more. My parents encouraged me to go back to college. They encouraged her to go. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Officials have warned that female bears with cubs are naturally more defensive and encourage hunters to be aware of bears when camping, hiking or hunting. 
CBS News, 8 Sep. 2022 The price changes sparked a resolution from a handful of aldermen calling for more information about Divvy prices and ridership, and saying more study of e-bike prices could encourage more Divvy use. Ald. Sarah Freishtat, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2022 Some of this aid comes in the shape of caps on energy prices, or cuts in energy taxes, which economists say could encourage higher natural-gas and power consumption, possibly leading to a shortfall of both early next year and rationing or blackouts. Paul Hannon, WSJ, 7 Sep. 2022 Parents hold their children up as cameras appear or encourage kids to hold handmade signs higher above the crowd. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2022 On Twitter, Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire took a different tack, arguing that the move would encourage a net share shift away from USDT, the largest stablecoin, to USDC and BUSD. Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2022 Erickson expects improvements at Snowriver Mountain will spur demand for additional services, help drive growth of new and existing businesses and encourage additional development in the region. Karl Ebert, Journal Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2022 In Zernicka-Goetz's lab, researchers isolated the three types of stem cells from embryos and cultured them in a container angled to bring the cells together and encourage crosstalk between them. Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 5 Sep. 2022 Still, the provision will encourage many electric-car owners to install charging equipment in their homes, ZETA predicted. Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic, 4 Sep. 2022 See More
CBS News, 8 Sep. 2022 The price changes sparked a resolution from a handful of aldermen calling for more information about Divvy prices and ridership, and saying more study of e-bike prices could encourage more Divvy use. Ald. Sarah Freishtat, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2022 Some of this aid comes in the shape of caps on energy prices, or cuts in energy taxes, which economists say could encourage higher natural-gas and power consumption, possibly leading to a shortfall of both early next year and rationing or blackouts. Paul Hannon, WSJ, 7 Sep. 2022 Parents hold their children up as cameras appear or encourage kids to hold handmade signs higher above the crowd. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2022 On Twitter, Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire took a different tack, arguing that the move would encourage a net share shift away from USDT, the largest stablecoin, to USDC and BUSD. Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2022 Erickson expects improvements at Snowriver Mountain will spur demand for additional services, help drive growth of new and existing businesses and encourage additional development in the region. Karl Ebert, Journal Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2022 In Zernicka-Goetz's lab, researchers isolated the three types of stem cells from embryos and cultured them in a container angled to bring the cells together and encourage crosstalk between them. Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 5 Sep. 2022 Still, the provision will encourage many electric-car owners to install charging equipment in their homes, ZETA predicted. Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic, 4 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English encoragen, from Anglo-French encorager, from en- + curage courage
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Kids Definition
encourage
verb
en·cour·age in-ˈkər-ij
encouraged; encouraging
1
: make more determined, hopeful, or confident : hearten Cheering fans encouraged the team.
2
: to give help or support to : aid
Warm weather encourages plant growth.
encourage
verb
1
as in to inspire
to fill with courage or strength of purpose a pep talk that encouraged the team to get out there and win Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- inspire
- stimulate
- embolden
- reinforce
- hearten
- inspirit
- reassure
- provoke
- bear up
- buck up
- strengthen
- invigorate
- assure
- steel
- enliven
- enforce
- animate
- buoy (up)
- chirk (up)
- cheer (up)
- energize
- excite
- fortify
- rally
- galvanize
- reenforce
- stir
- quicken
- boost
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- discourage
- dishearten
- daunt
- undermine
- depress
- demoralize
- weaken
- sadden
- intimidate
- debilitate
- dispirit
- hamstring
- enfeeble
- psych (out)
2
as in to promote
to help the growth or development of asserted that the government should be encouraging small businesses, not smothering them with regulations Synonyms & Similar Words
- promote
- cultivate
- foster
- nurture
- further
- forward
- advance
- assist
- nourish
- incubate
- support
- advocate
- endorse
- fund
- subsidize
- aid
- patronize
- underwrite
- uphold
- advertise
- back
- nurse
- finance
- champion
- abet
- publicize
- endow
- indorse
- boost
- stake
- tout
- plug
- agitate (for)
- work (for)
- campaign (for)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- discourage
- prevent
- hinder
- inhibit
- prohibit
- frustrate
- forbid
- enjoin
- oppose
- proscribe
- ban
- fight
- outlaw
- combat
- bar
- counter
- contend (with)
- interdict
- stifle
- suppress
- check
- repress
- subdue
- squelch
- impede
- battle
- retard
- halt
- squash
- arrest
- obstruct
- interfere (with)
- encumber
- snuff (out)
- hobble
- shackle
- fetter
- manacle
3
as in to provoke
to rouse to strong feeling or action the movie's cheap special effects will not encourage audiences to sit on the edge of their seats but to roll in the aisles with laughter Synonyms & Similar Words
- provoke
- stimulate
- inspire
- motivate
- stir
- arouse
- incite
- move
- induce
- excite
- instigate
- spark
- drive
- motive
- impassion
- pique
- trigger
- ignite
- activate
- bother
- galvanize
- energize
- fire (up)
- rev (up)
- anger
- animate
- vitalize
- quicken
- foment
- inflame
- abet
- get
- build a fire under
- set off
- fan
- enrage
- raise
- kindle
- annoy
- upset
- ferment
- tease
- taunt
- enflame
- aggravate
- irritate
- pump up
- exasperate
- jeer
- vex
- key (up)
- madden
- whip (up)
- gall
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- soothe
- subdue
- calm
- appease
- placate
- pacify
- mollify
- tranquillize
- tranquilize
4
as in to urge
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action the pastor continues to encourage the couple to work out their problems in hopes of saving their marriage Synonyms & Similar Words
- urge
- nudge
- spur
- prompt
- exhort
- push
- propel
- goad
- coax
- provoke
- stimulate
- prod
- drive
- implore
- press
- beseech
- cajole
- egg (on)
- hurry
- rush
- incite
- pressure
- importune
- instigate
- foment
- adjure
- hustle
- wheedle
- nag
- blandish
- needle
- stir (up)
- soft-soap
- high-pressure
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- discourage
- deter
- dissuade
- check
- restrain
- inhibit
- brake
- curb
- constrain
- hold back
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of encourage are embolden, hearten, and inspirit. While all these words mean "to fill with courage or strength of purpose," encourage suggests the raising of one's confidence especially by an external agency.
the teacher's praise encouraged the students to greater efforts
While the synonyms embolden and encourage are close in meaning, embolden implies the giving of courage sufficient to overcome timidity or reluctance.
emboldened by her first success, she tried an even more difficult climb
The words hearten and encourage can be used in similar contexts, but hearten implies the lifting of dispiritedness or despondency by an infusion of fresh courage or zeal.
a hospital patient heartened by good news
The meanings of inspirit and encourage largely overlap; however, inspirit, somewhat literary, implies instilling life, energy, courage, or vigor into something.
patriots inspirited the people to resist