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

• inspire

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

If your plants are still fruiting towards the end of the season, cut away any small fruit and lingering flowers to encourage your plant to spend its remaining energy ripening the last few cucumbers on the vine. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2025

South Bend offers a good example of how to encourage developers to address these needs, Ibrahim said. —Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2025

The Schweickart Prize is an annual award designed to foster a new generation of leaders in planetary defense and to encourage ideas to help protect Earth from potential asteroid impacts. —Leonard David, Space.com, 12 July 2025

Their main message is to encourage couples to actively consider the decision instead of following the norm. —Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 12 July 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