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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of encourage
My hope is that Reunion encourages commissioners and production companies to create space for other deaf people to come forward and tell their stories.
—
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
In Fresno and other areas with high immigrant populations, school officials are training teachers on how to talk to families to encourage them to come to school and on what to do if there is an immigration raid on campus.
—Kayla Jimenez, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Papers paired with flower or pre-rolls can drive incremental sales and encourage brand loyalty.
—Sara Payan, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
Colunga encouraged anyone still looking to donate to contribute to the Pilsen Food Pantry in honor of Catatlan.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encourage
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
In Fresno and other areas with high immigrant populations, school officials are training teachers on how to talk to families to encourage them to come to school and on what to do if there is an immigration raid on campus.
—Kayla Jimenez, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Papers paired with flower or pre-rolls can drive incremental sales and encourage brand loyalty.
—Sara Payan, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
Colunga encouraged anyone still looking to donate to contribute to the Pilsen Food Pantry in honor of Catatlan.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encourage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encourage
Verb
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Zaldivar said in an age where more people are turning away from their faith, the declaration of the young saints is inspiring to many Catholics looking towards the future of the church.—
Lauren Costantino
September 6,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
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Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies came extremely close to being as epic as Mom’s, which inspired me to dive deeper into the archives to see if Barefoot Contessa had any other brilliant brownie recipes.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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However, the president’s criticism of mail-in ballots could risk disrupting the inroads Republicans made with voters last cycle, with the party spending millions promoting mail-in ballots ahead of the 2024 election.—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Sep. 2025
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It was created with the intention of promoting AI fluency and a future-ready, AI-confident workforce.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Every action provokes a reaction.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Their works laid the foundation for a genre that continues to evolve, provoke, and inspire.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Stander and colleagues have been leading the effort and were previously urged by Florida state officials to try it.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Jang Dong-hyeok, chair of the main opposition People Power Party in Korea, urged President Lee on Saturday to take swift action, citing broader repercussions to other Korean businesses.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In fact, cultivating students’ self-belief is often the biggest hurdle school leaders face, Branham said.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Sep. 2025
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Through the inevitable challenges of constant change, the bonds an entrepreneur cultivates in the present can prompt their greatest accomplishments in the near future.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For the first part of the trial, Mowery spent 10 days in the hospital while doctors created a grid of more than 100 points on his head to try to find different circuits or certain activation for pain by watching and stimulating his brain.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
7 Sep. 2025
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Drinking coffee may stimulate an increase in acid production in the stomach.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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According to a leading space researcher, the project involves launching a spacecraft to collide with a small asteroid located tens of millions of miles away, with the goal of nudging its orbit by just over an inch.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
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Paris is nudging people out of taxis and cars.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Those included defending Novo's leadership in diabetes and obesity treatment, fostering a high performance culture and realigning the company's cost base and driving efficiencies.—
Karen Gilchrist,Katrina Bishop,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
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The husband and wife team at the helm aims to foster joy, drawing inspiration from their experiences in Korea and Florida.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Encourage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encourage. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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