encourage

verb

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en·cour·age | \ in-ˈkər-ij

, -ˈkə-rij, en- \

encouraged; encouraging

Definition of encourage

transitive verb

1a : 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

Other Words from encourage Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about encourage

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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 Rooks will encourage coaches to stay up to date on their CPR training and understand the importance of nutrition and proper sleep. — Ryan Mcfadden, baltimoresun.com, 4 June 2021 Now experts are hoping this will encourage other Fortune 500 companies to adopt or expand their own programs. — Maria Aspan, Fortune, 4 June 2021 Many on Wall Street would argue that this process is best for capital formation, helping companies build sustainable bases of fundamental investors that will encourage long-term thinking. — Telis Demos, WSJ, 4 June 2021 Demicco said there’s also a hope that a higher deposit, coupled with the first increase in handling fees for financially struggling redemption centers in decades, will encourage more people to open redemption centers, especially in urban centers. — Susan Haigh, courant.com, 3 June 2021 Marketing consultant Adamson believes Osaka’s decision to come forward will encourage many more athletes to divulge their own mental health battles. — Mae Anderson And Anne D'innocenzio, chicagotribune.com, 3 June 2021 This will in turn encourage consumers to patronize storefronts, or unlicensed services. — Chris Roberts, Forbes, 1 June 2021 Leatherman, a coastal scientist and professor at Florida International University, hopes his 30th annual list will encourage people to get out and leave the past year of pandemic struggles in the rearview mirror. — Caleb Jones, USA TODAY, 27 May 2021 Removing fading blooms will encourage a long season of flower, but at the expense of the seed heads, which draw goldfinches, are a source of new plants and have a decorative quality in fall and winter. — Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, 27 May 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'encourage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.