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.
Origin of encourage
1400–50; late Middle English encoragen<Anglo-French, Middle French encorag(i)er.See en-1, courage
SYNONYMS FOR encourage
1 embolden, hearten, reassure.
2 urge; support, aid, help.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR encourage ON THESAURUS.COM
ANTONYMS FOR encourage
1 discourage, dishearten.
SEE ANTONYMS FOR encourage ON THESAURUS.COM
OTHER WORDS FROM encourage
en·cour·ag·er,nounen·cour·ag·ing·ly,adverbo·ver·en·cour·age,verb (used with object),o·ver·en·cour·aged,o·ver·en·cour·ag·ing.pre·en·cour·age,verb (used with object),pre·en·cour·aged,pre·en·cour·ag·ing.
re·en·cour·age,verb (used with object),re·en·cour·aged,re·en·cour·ag·ing.un·en·cour·aged,adjectiveun·en·cour·ag·ing,adjectivewell-en·cour·aged,adjective
In addition to mitigating AI harms, the goal of the principles is to encourage the development of AI systems that could improve children’s growth and well-being.
Why kids need special protection from AI’s influence|Karen Hao|September 17, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Those who live off campus but may need to come to campus are encouraged to go to a health clinic for free testing if they show any symptoms.
Even the most cautious schools are seeing outbreaks|Sy Mukherjee|September 17, 2020|Fortune
Group culture, too, can encourage certain types of content — including content that violates Facebook’s rules — and admins are often willing participants in that.
Facebook tries to clean up Groups with new policies|Sarah Perez|September 17, 2020|TechCrunch
Staff offices would remain open, Schutzenhofer said, but employees were encouraged to work from home.
Trump’s businesses charged Secret Service more than $1.1 million, including for rooms in club shuttered for pandemic|David Fahrenthold, Josh Dawsey|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
Those industries are doing what they can to encourage people to spend like they might have without a pandemic.
Zoom parties, throwing candy: How Halloween might happen during Covid-19|Alexandra Ossola|September 17, 2020|Quartz
If we want that to change, then all of us have to encourage our legislators to make funding community policing a priority.
How to Solve the Policing Crisis|Keli Goff|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It would definitely be wrong for TLC to encourage us to gawk at these men but their story is worth investigating nonetheless.
Your Husband Is Definitely Gay: TLC’s Painful Portrait of Mormonism|Samantha Allen|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
That tends to encourage large and small holders alike to consider turning their weakened rubles into other currencies.
Putin Can’t Bully or Bomb a Recession|Daniel Gross|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the eyes of many pro-life advocates, securing rights for pregnant women is one more way to encourage women to stay pregnant.
The Supreme Court Case Uniting Pro-Lifers & Pro-Choicers|Emily Shire|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They all encourage her to spin her atheism into some form of belief.
The Good Wife’s Religion Politics: Voters Have No Faith in Alicia's Atheism|Regina Lizik|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Gladly would they do anything in their power to soothe and encourage them.
The Expositor's Bible: The First Book of Samuel|W. G. Blaikie
Something which God used to give a sign to encourage a king.
The Little Gleaner, Vol. X.|Various
It is singular how little warmth is necessary to encourage these earlier flowers to put forth!
Wake-Robin|John Burroughs
The object was to encourage the Canadians to emulate the example of the people of America and of France.
Montreal 1535-1914, Volume II (of 2)|William Henry Atherton
Cromwell must have sanctioned this, if he did not encourage it.
An Illustrated History of Ireland from AD 400 to 1800|Mary Frances Cusack
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