Synonyms of emboldening

emboldening

verb

present participle of embolden

as in encouraging

to fill with courage or strength of purpose

his poor showing in his first swim meet just emboldened him to train even harder

Synonyms & Similar Words

• encouraging
• inspiring
• inspiriting
• reinforcing
• heartening
• cheering (up)
• bearing up
• steeling
• stimulating
• buoying (up)
• enlivening
• provoking
• invigorating
• reassuring
• enforcing
• animating
• strengthening
• chirking (up)
• assuring
• energizing
• bucking up
• galvanizing
• exciting
• stirring
• rallying
• fortifying
• quickening
• boosting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• discouraging
• daunting
• disheartening
• undermining
• weakening
• depressing
• demoralizing
• intimidating
• debilitating
• dispiriting
• saddening
• enfeebling
• hamstringing
• psyching (out)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of emboldening

Both pledge to end negotiations, blaming Petro’s approach for weakening the state and emboldening armed groups. — Catherine Ellis, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026

Critics say those decisions are emboldening the administration to ignore judges' orders. — ABC News, 2 May 2026

Critics say those decisions are emboldening the administration to ignore judges’ orders. — Sudhin Thanawala, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026

The city’s failure to investigate or correct the conduct has only resulted in emboldening it, the suit said. — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2026

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a violent crackdown. — Julia Nikhinson, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026

This is thanks to Venus and Mars working together in your sensible 6th house, emboldening you to streamline routines and add creative flair to useful habits. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026

But experts worry this audacious undertaking risks fraying the last remaining threads of international norms, emboldening autocracies into new acts of aggression without fear of consequences. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 5 Jan. 2026

But those tactics seem to have backfired, emboldening those who were skeptical of the new map proposal. — Jared Gans, The Hill, 15 Dec. 2025