1
as in promising
having qualities which inspire hope
encouraging signs that the economy is improving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in comforting
making one feel good inside
the encouraging story of a young girl who overcame great social and physical obstacles to become an outstanding athlete
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in favorable
pointing toward a happy outcome
we're off to an encouraging start on this project
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in inspiring
to fill with courage or strength of purpose
a pep talk that encouraged the team to get out there and win
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in promoting
to help the growth or development of
asserted that the government should be encouraging small businesses, not smothering them with regulations
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in provoking
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in urging
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encouraging
Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Taken as a capsule, Benfotiamine has shown encouraging results and a strong safety profile.
—Benfoteam, Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
Congress cannot indefinitely transfer general revenue into the Highway Trust Fund while encouraging a shift away from gasoline consumption.
—Louis Sigaud, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encouraging
Adjective
But some followers were not as encouraging.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Taken as a capsule, Benfotiamine has shown encouraging results and a strong safety profile.
—Benfoteam, Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
Platforms that steer consumers toward particular lenders, rather than encouraging comparison shopping, lock in these losses at scale.
—New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
Congress cannot indefinitely transfer general revenue into the Highway Trust Fund while encouraging a shift away from gasoline consumption.
—Louis Sigaud, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encouraging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encouraging
Adjective
-
This was the approach that, a little more than a decade ago, surfaced a promising new kind of malaria drug that entered clinical trials first in South Africa and then in Ethiopia.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
22 Mar. 2026
-
This work highlights a promising path for precisely tuning material stiffness and shaping mechanical properties on demand.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
If All Creatures Great and Small is our cozy and comforting show in this unending hellscape, The Forsytes can be our escapist junk food.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Of course, formulaic crime dramas can be comforting.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Moreover, such an action risks preventing favorable conditions for a historic dialogue between the governments of the two countries, which are both united by a desire to disarm Hezbollah and strengthen Lebanon’s state capacities.—
Asher Kaufman,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
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So, whether you're drawn to the accessibility of a gold ETF, the tangibility of coins or bars or the tax advantages of a gold IRA, the current dip may offer a more favorable entry point than the market provided just weeks ago.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The new way could be inspiring people.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The ambience and history are awe-inspiring at this eighteenth-century mansion steps from the Popes’ Palace.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That power has touched thousands and thousands of kids in the region through refurbishing basketball courts, hosting basketball clinics and promoting academic enrichment.—
Kerri Corrado,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
For two decades, Democrats have campaigned among Latinos on the promise of comprehensive immigration reform and an economic policy that would level the playing field, including raising the federal minimum wage, providing universal pre-K education and promoting affordable housing.—
Gary M. Segura,
The Conversation,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When not in the newsroom, Munis is often out on the streets with his camera, capturing the perfect portrait or settling in to watch a thought-provoking film.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Mar. 2026
-
This documentary plumbs the issue in a personal, entertaining and thought-provoking way.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The United States declared Afghanistan a state sponsor of wrongful detention earlier in March, urging the Taliban to release Coyle and other hostages.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The tension escalated when Carolyn received a frantic call from her sister, Lauren Bessette (Sydney Lemmon), urging her to turn on the TV.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This warmer weather refresh of chicken and biscuits shakes up both the filling and topping for a lighter and brighter take on the classic.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
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For generations in Korea, people saved the milky water left over from rinsing rice and used it as a simple beauty treatment to make skin look brighter and smoother.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encouraging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encouraging. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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