as in incentive
something that arouses action or activity
the huge rebates that the auto companies were offering were all the encouragement I needed to buy a new car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of encouragement
The University of Houston forward exchanged hugs and words of encouragement, a towel draped over his head to hide the tears of a season having reached a cruel and abrupt end.
—
Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
Friends, former colleagues, and community members have dropped off care packages and shared words of encouragement.
—Abby Dodge, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
Dillon even got some encouragement from the Internet that the costume team had gone in the right direction.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2026
There were disagreements over his war with Iran, pride over his immigration crackdown and lots of encouragement to avoid infighting as the Republican Party faces a difficult midterm election.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encouragement
Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
Friends, former colleagues, and community members have dropped off care packages and shared words of encouragement.
—Abby Dodge, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
Dillon even got some encouragement from the Internet that the costume team had gone in the right direction.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2026
There were disagreements over his war with Iran, pride over his immigration crackdown and lots of encouragement to avoid infighting as the Republican Party faces a difficult midterm election.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encouragement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encouragement
Noun
-
This is not an indictment of individuals but of incentives built into a system structured to protect bureaucracy while classrooms absorb the pressure.—
Daniel L Gordon,
Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
This investment would be best paired with incentives to companies to offer greater part-time and flexible work options.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
His impetus to draw these posters — which are available for sale on his website — is self-driven.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
-
While the trade deal had been in negotiations for years, held up by domestic opposition, Washington’s tariff campaign created a new impetus.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The reason for that association could simply be that the people eating these low-variety diets have more self-discipline or motivation to lose weight, per the researchers.—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Baker argued that the DA’s office and Rosen’s campaign are legally separate, denied any political motivation in the prosecution, and noted that campaign donation records are public — adding that the office had already turned over emails between a senior prosecutor and the campaign manager.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But there are a number of reasons to file tax returns even when they’re not strictly required, including claiming tax credits, getting back income tax withheld from paychecks or retirement accounts, and getting access to any future government stimulus payments that might be offered.—
Liz Weston,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Unlike conventional systems that are often heavy and mechanically complex, this lightweight material responds to external stimuli such as heat.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encouragement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encouragement. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
