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
On one hand, fewer borrowing options may dampen demand and encourage schools to keep costs in check.
—
Preston Fore, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
China has ramped up calls this year to encourage overseas investors to reinvest their profits within the country, and introduced tax incentives to encourage them to do so.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
Those who experienced the quake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025
While it hasn't been made mandatory, drivers are encouraged to wear the cooling vest that features tubes.
—Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encourage
Preston Fore, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
China has ramped up calls this year to encourage overseas investors to reinvest their profits within the country, and introduced tax incentives to encourage them to do so.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
Those who experienced the quake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025
While it hasn't been made mandatory, drivers are encouraged to wear the cooling vest that features tubes.
—Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encourage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encourage
Verb
-
The show gave local independent musicians exposure on its soundtrack, increased the popularity of venues like The Bluebird Cafe, inspired cast tours and years later, sparked reunion tours.—
Audrey Gibbs,
Nashville Tennessean,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Trailers showing Erivo in full green-skinned Elphaba costume and Grande decked out in a sparkly pink G(a)linda gown have surely inspired new and old fans alike.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
To promote what executives described as modern ways of working, Elanco changed blueprint plans several times over the course of half a decade.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
2 Oct. 2025
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Spotify has also hastened the demise of the album, as well as a world where the final product is used to promote the tour, rather than vice versa, alongside other pieces of merchandise like a T-shirt or poster.—
Roy Trakin,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Throughout the weekend, McIlroy and other European players sparred with fans, provoking the Irish golfer in at least one instance to yell back at the crowd, while others flashed middle fingers in response to the jeers.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
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Yet, as many observers predicted, attempts to extend transatlantic cohesion through NATO expansion ultimately provoked a Russian reaction that a transatlantic relationship premised on economic cooperation might not have had.—
JENNIFER KAVANAGH,
Foreign Affairs,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Rachel Goldberg-Polin emerged as a moral voice, urging an end to the war and healing for Israel's internal divisions.—
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Lisi urged people to remain vigilant.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This philosophy has guided their marketing approach, cultivating a loyal following that appreciates their attention to detail and passion for excellence.—
Wyles Daniel,
AZCentral.com,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Married Matt and Amber Barnett overcame a little bit of jealousy and a lot of credit card debt to cultivate a stable relationship.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
States generally had strong revenue growth in 2021 and 2022 because of economic growth, which included federal aid to stimulate the economy.—
Bram Sable-Smith,
NPR,
5 Oct. 2025
-
The data delay comes at a time when economists were looking for signs of a rebound in the job market after months of disappointing reports and when the Fed is expected to announce at least one additional rate cut before the end of the year to stimulate growth.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Hull says that some effective safety tweaks to existing chatbots would be relatively simple — they could be programmed to nudge a user to disengage during late-night hours, for instance.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
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Their losses could nudge Izzo toward some lineups where Carr is at the 3 and the spacing really suffers.—
CJ Moore,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Biden administration announced more than $170 billion worth of investments to foster domestic EV auto production.—
Rebecca A. Fannin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The city is home to a robust ecosystem of producers, service companies and highly skilled professionals, now reinforced by the Madrid Audiovisual Cluster, which fosters public–private collaboration across the sector.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Encourage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encourage. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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