1
as in to inspire
to fill with courage or strength of purpose
a pep talk that encouraged the team to get out there and win
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to promote
to help the growth or development of
asserted that the government should be encouraging small businesses, not smothering them with regulations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to provoke
to rouse to strong feeling or action
the movie's cheap special effects will not encourage audiences to sit on the edge of their seats but to roll in the aisles with laughter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to urge
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
the pastor continues to encourage the couple to work out their problems in hopes of saving their marriage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encourage
The Reagan Foundation’s statement encouraged people to watch an unedited video of the former president’s speech.
—
Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Reservations are encouraged for the 90-minute time slots and are available on Onesto's OpenTable page.
—Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
For holidays that are primarily observed in the United States, Tillery encourages travelers to look beyond domestic trips.
—Essence, 24 Oct. 2025
Collaborators encouraged her to also ditch the jazz singing and try rapping and pop vocals.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encourage
Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Reservations are encouraged for the 90-minute time slots and are available on Onesto's OpenTable page.
—Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
For holidays that are primarily observed in the United States, Tillery encourages travelers to look beyond domestic trips.
—Essence, 24 Oct. 2025
Collaborators encouraged her to also ditch the jazz singing and try rapping and pop vocals.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encourage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encourage
Verb
-
Its success inspired a wave of canal building in other states, although the economic benefit of these other canals is dubious in retrospect.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The aftermath of that crash inspired her branch of the Brown family tree to reshape the Louisville medical scene.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Earlier this year, a New York judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Nicklaus Companies against Nicklaus that attempted to prevent the golfer from using his name, image and likeness to promote his golf course design business.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
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After decades of ignoring advances in data and analytics and mainly promoting from within, the Rockies seem intent on hiring an outsider to be their new head of baseball operations, after dismissing general manager Bill Schmidt at the start of October.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Not retaining his services would have provoked outrage.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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But the forcefulness of pastors' rhetoric about Kirk has provoked conflicting feelings for some believers.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Porat closed by urging leaders to really dig in and reimagine what’s possible in their own organizations.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
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Anyone with information regarding this incident was urged to contact the Chandler Police Department at 480-782-4130.—
Wren Smetana,
AZCentral.com,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Once a prominent participant in the Oslo peace process, Barghouti was known for cultivating ties with senior Israeli officials.—
Karl Vick,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
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Taínos cultivated different crops ranging from fruits to sweet potatoes, yams, and peanuts.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Plus, men don’t have the hormonal surges of prolactin that stimulate milk production in women.—
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
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Bank stocks are rallying today on expectations that lower interest rates will help stimulate economic activity.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Instead, the director Scott Cooper’s film turns on Landau recognizing that the tracks reflect Springsteen confronting inner darkness—including his conflicted feelings about his father and his fear of his growing fame—and nudging the musician to realize his need for further help.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
23 Oct. 2025
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Ultimately, Grapski said Praia's goal is to continue to improve nudging capabilities to get more engagement and reduce pain points across healthcare.—
Lauren Giella,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But fostering creativity, curiosity, and empathy are also essential for organizations to remain competitive and resilient.—
Fortune Editors,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
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Over time, the congress fostered a transnational network of culturally influential elites who favored liberal democracy over communism and Marxism.—
Tetiana Kotelnykova,
The Atlantic,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Encourage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encourage. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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