encouraging

en·cour·ag·ing

adj \-i-jiŋ, -ri-jiŋ\

Definition of ENCOURAGING

: giving hope or promise <encouraging news>

— en·cour·ag·ing·ly \-jiŋ-lē\ adverb

Examples of ENCOURAGING

1. We've just heard some encouraging news.
2. <encouraging signs that the economy is improving>

First Known Use of ENCOURAGING

1593

Related to ENCOURAGING

Synonyms: auspicious, bright, hopeful, fair, golden, heartening, likely, optimistic, promising, propitious, roseate, rose-colored, rosy, upbeat

Antonyms: bleak, dark, depressing, desperate, discouraging, disheartening, dismal, downbeat, dreary, gloomy, hopeless, inauspicious, pessimistic, unencouraging, unlikely, unpromising, unpropitious

Related Words: cheering, comforting, reassuring, soothing; assured, confident, decisive, doubtless, positive, sure, unhesitating; beamish, bullish, eupeptic; favorable, good

Near Antonyms: cheerless, comfortless; doubtful, dubious, uncertain; bearish, grim, negative, unfavorable; funereal, glum, gray (also grey), miserable, wretched

see all synonyms and antonyms

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