encourage
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About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.en·cour·age
transitive verb \in-ˈkər-ij, -ˈkə-rij, en-\en·cour·ageden·cour·ag·ing
Definition of ENCOURAGE
1
2
: to spur on : stimulate <warm weather encourages plant growth>
3
: to give help or patronage to : foster <government grants designed to encourage conservation>
— en·cour·ag·er noun
Examples of ENCOURAGE
- 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.
Origin of ENCOURAGE
Middle English encoragen, from Anglo-French encorager, from en- + curage courage
First Known Use: 15th century
Related to ENCOURAGE
- Synonyms
- bear up, buck up, buoy (up), cheer (up), chirk (up), embolden, hearten, inspire, inspirit, steel
- Antonyms
- daunt, discourage, dishearten, dispirit
Synonym Discussion of ENCOURAGE
encourage, inspirit, hearten, embolden 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>. inspirit, somewhat literary, implies instilling life, energy, courage, or vigor into something <patriots inspirited the people to resist>. hearten implies the lifting of dispiritedness or despondency by an infusion of fresh courage or zeal <a hospital patient heartened by good news>. embolden implies the giving of courage sufficient to overcome timidity or reluctance <emboldened by her first success, she tried an even more difficult climb>.
Rhymes with ENCOURAGE
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