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

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

Examples of encourage in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

To bring in more visitors, Katsuo-ji came up with a creative way to encourage tourists to engage with the Daruma dolls. —Rebecca Cairns, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025

Anyone with information is encouraged to call [phone] or email [e-mail] or [e-mail]. —Glynis Kazanjian, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2025

In the locker room afterward, Staley encouraged players to feel the emotions of defeat, but also to hold their heads up. —Ben Pickman, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025

The intersection did not have lights, bells or arms to warn drivers of an approaching train, a recommendation the National Transportation Board has encouraged since 1998. —Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025

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

Rhymes for encourage

• demurrage
• discourage
• burrage
• courage

Kids Definition

encourage

verb

en·​cour·​age in-ˈkər-ij 

-ˈkə-rij

encouraged; encouraging

1

a

: to cause to feel courage, spirit, or hope

encouraged by her kind words

b

: to try to persuade

encouraged him to go back to school

2

: to spur on : stimulate

3

: to give help to : foster

government grants to encourage young artists

warm weather encourages plant growth

encouragement

-mənt

noun

encouragingly

-ij-iŋ-lē

-rij-

adverb