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
Though Zoo staff encouraged the pair to breed, none of their cubs survived longer than a few days.
—
Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025
Her fiancé Michael Polansky encouraged her to make a pop record
Gaga met businessman Polansky back in 2019, at Napster founder Sean Parker’s birthday party.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 24 Jan. 2025
Lending pandas to zoos across the U.S. and other countries also encourages reproduction and helps save the giant pandas from extinction.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
Sure enough, the process yielded ammonia without producing any CO2 or requiring any outside energy to encourage the chemical process.
—Michael Franco, New Atlas, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for encourage 
Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025
Her fiancé Michael Polansky encouraged her to make a pop record
Gaga met businessman Polansky back in 2019, at Napster founder Sean Parker’s birthday party.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 24 Jan. 2025
Lending pandas to zoos across the U.S. and other countries also encourages reproduction and helps save the giant pandas from extinction.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
Sure enough, the process yielded ammonia without producing any CO2 or requiring any outside energy to encourage the chemical process.
—Michael Franco, New Atlas, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for encourage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encourage
Verb
-
To begin, LaPointe’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection inspired by their muse, Oprah Winfrey is now available online.—
Mecca Pryor,
Essence,
27 Jan. 2025
-
The styles are inspired by 1960s Palm Beach, Fla., where Lilly Pulitzer was started, and features bold heritage prints and colors, but with a modern twist.—
Michelle Lee,
People.com,
27 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Trump’s order also rescinded policies that required federal contractors to promote affirmative action and diversity programs—his actions are in line with promises listed in his Agenda 47 platform outlined during his campaign.—
Rebecca Schneid,
TIME,
25 Jan. 2025
-
The Spaniard gave him his Premier League debut against Bournemouth in mid-December and promoted him into the first-team set-up.—
Roshane Thomas,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Diplomatic Risks: The designation could provoke international disputes, particularly with Mexico, complicating its legal and practical implementation.—
Andy J. Semotiuk,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
-
The emotional bedrock underneath is the thing that’s provoking feeling in me.—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
18 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Parents were urged to not come to the school and instead to go to a hospital to reunite with their children.—
Alex Sundby,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2025
-
In the Atlanta area, DeKalb County officials declared a state of emergency on Wednesday and are urging all residents to shelter in place due to the severe winter weather.—
Kenton Gewecke,
ABC News,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
His rise exemplifies how the new generation of artists are rewriting the rules of success—leveraging social media to cultivate a following before stepping into the traditional industry spotlight.—
Hala Mustafa,
Billboard,
31 Jan. 2025
-
Finally, American Jews must work to cultivate solidarity.—
Hannah Rosenthal and David Saperstein,
Newsweek,
29 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Chronic stress, when the sympathetic nervous system doesn’t have a chance to release control, stimulates cortisol production.—
Shani Harmon,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
-
Editor tip: This balm also includes Centella asiatica (a.k.a. cica) extract to stimulate collagen production to improve texture and bounciness.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Without talking heads or voice-over to nudge things along, stories are told entirely in subtext.—
Michael Schulman,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
-
Skellefteå, a small, discreet city in northern Sweden nudged its way into must-visit global tourist rankings after the country’s tallest wooden hotel and cultural center opened there in 2022.—
Maddy Savage,
TIME,
18 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson, in his first season as Cavs coach, has fostered an environment where Garland’s playing better, Mitchell is thrilled to play in an offense where he isn’t relied on as heavily, and the team gets consistent scoring from at least four players most of the time.—
Joe Vardon,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
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By seamlessly integrating features like shoppable videos and fostering direct community engagement, Orme elevates the ROI on content creation, turning every piece of content into a powerful tool for customer acquisition and loyalty.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
WWD,
21 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near encourage
Cite this Entry
“Encourage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encourage. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
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