Dictionary

encourage en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɪnˈkʌɹ.ɪd͡ʒ/
• /ɛn.kəˈreː.d͡ʒ/ (South-Asia)
• /ɪnˈkʊ.ɹɪd͡ʒ/ (Northern-England)
• /ɪnˈkɝ.ɪd͡ʒ/ US, hurry–furry merger
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English encouragen, encoragen, from Anglo-Norman encoragier, from Old French encoragier. Displaced native Old English hiertan, tyhtan, and trymman. By surface analysis, en- + courage.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.
   • Delia's coach encouraged her to focus on the positives.
   • I encouraged him during his race.
   • "It's a lose-lose situation. It can be turned into a win-win. We should be encouraging and supporting expensive bi-mode freight locomotives, especially where capacity is constrained. 2024 October 30, Paul Clifton, “How can freight be a major part of rail's future?”, in RAIL, number 1021, page 57:
   • The visitors we do not encourage are the many small boys who slip in unobserved and are a danger to themselves and the staff. 1960 April 14, A. W. Bennett, “A Locomotive Shedmaster's Day”, in Railway Magazine, page 273:
2. (transitive) To spur on, strongly recommend.
   • We encourage the use of bicycles in the town centre.
   • We encourage you to cycle instead of taking the car.
3. (transitive) To foster, give help or patronage.
   • And this is where the larger problem lies: when states try to enforce impossible bans, everyone loses. 3D printing farragoes have all the hallmarks of the absolute worst kind of ineffectual ban: one which encourages overly draconian laws that carry huge side effects, and that ultimately to have little to no effect. 2013 May 10, James Ball, “US government attempts to stifle 3D-printer gun designs will ultimately fail”, in The Guardian:
   • The royal family has always encouraged the arts in word and deed.
   • They remove all sense of self-responsibility from us prisoners. We have virtually no control over any aspect of our lives. This does not encourage our ability to return to community life outside. 1987 December 20, Tim Scaggs, “No Other Choice But To Go On A Hunger Strike”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 23, page 5:
   • In addition the Marquess built a brickworks adjacent to the colliery, and also greatly improved the harbour to encourage coastal shipping. 1960 January 14, Iain D. O. Frew, “The Brora Colliery Tramway”, in Railway Magazine, page 55:

Forms

Antonyms

discourage · dishearten

Deriveds

encouragingly · encouragement · encouraging · encouragee · encourageable · encourager · reencourage · overencourage · disencourage

Relateds

courage

Synonyms

adjure · send · move · warn · counsel · stoke · drive · urge · stimulate · culture · promote · ignite · exhort · feed · advocate · whip up · actuate · light a fire under · motive · exhort · recommend · encourage · foster · abet · encourage · induce · embolden · impel · goad · whet · tempt · egg on · raise · prompt · inflame · spur · draw · advise · lash · push · invoke · grow · cultivate · excite · promote · tip · bield · urge · stir up · spark off · grill · foment · oblige · encourage · cheer · sting · hearten · incite · stir · set off · rouse · bring about · spur on · suggest · prompt · instigate · motivate · admonish · engender · evoke · provoke · promote · obligate · goose · fuel

Translations (167)

ru воодушевля́ть (mentally support or motivate) · fi rohkaista (foster, give help or patronage) · pt recomendar (spur on, recommend) · ca encoratjar (spur on, recommend) · ro îmbărbăta (mentally support or motivate) · mi whakatenatena (spur on, recommend) · uk заохо́чувати (mentally support or motivate) · fi suojella (foster, give help or patronage) · tpi strongim (foster, give help or patronage) · eo vigligi (foster, give help or patronage) · da anbefale (spur on, recommend) · pl popierać (foster, give help or patronage) · hu támogat (foster, give help or patronage) · ang tyhtan (spur on, recommend) · ru обо́дрить (mentally support or motivate) · la incito (mentally support or motivate) · sh hrabriti (mentally support or motivate) · mi whakatenatena (mentally support or motivate) · la hortor (mentally support or motivate) · hu biztat (mentally support or motivate) · it raccomandare (spur on, recommend) · it favorire (foster, give help or patronage) · grc ὀτρῡ́νω (mentally support or motivate) · ka გამხნევება (mentally support or motivate) · tr önermek (spur on, recommend) · es arengar (mentally support or motivate) · ru поощри́ть (spur on, recommend) · et julgustama (spur on, recommend) · el ενθαρρύνω (foster, give help or patronage) · sq frymëzoj (mentally support or motivate) · grc παραμυθέομαι (mentally support or motivate) · uk підбадьо́рювати (mentally support or motivate) · uk підтри́мувати (mentally support or motivate) · he עוֹדֵד (spur on, recommend) · vi cổ vũ (mentally support or motivate) · rup inimusescu (mentally support or motivate) · ja 勇気付ける (mentally support or motivate) · lt padrąsinti (mentally support or motivate) · yue 鼓勵 /鼓励 (mentally support or motivate) · ka წახალისება (mentally support or motivate) · ne तताउनु (mentally support or motivate) · bg обнадежда́вам (mentally support or motivate) · la cogo (mentally support or motivate) · pl wspierać (mentally support or motivate) · eo instigi (spur on, recommend) · mi whakatītina (mentally support or motivate) · nl steunen (foster, give help or patronage) · th ให้กำลังใจ (mentally support or motivate) · km ត្រឹក (mentally support or motivate) · hi प्रेरित करना (mentally support or motivate) · tpi strongim (mentally support or motivate) · fi tukea (foster, give help or patronage) · tr teşvik etmek (mentally support or motivate) · mi whakahauhau (spur on, recommend) · hu felbátorít (mentally support or motivate) · de ermutigen (mentally support or motivate) · fi kannustaa (mentally support or motivate) · hy խրախուսել (spur on, recommend) · el παρακινώ (spur on, recommend) · la adhortor (mentally support or motivate) · cmn 提倡 (spur on, recommend) · fi suositella (spur on, recommend) · de ermuntern (mentally support or motivate) · mi tena (mentally support or motivate) · eo kuraĝigi (spur on, recommend) · hy խրախուսել (mentally support or motivate) · th ส่งเสริม (spur on, recommend) · bg окуража́вам (mentally support or motivate) · it esortare (spur on, recommend) · pt incentivar (mentally support or motivate) · ang hiertan (mentally support or motivate) · no anbefale (spur on, recommend) · ru воодушеви́ть (mentally support or motivate) · ru поощря́ть (mentally support or motivate) · sv uppmuntra (mentally support or motivate) · be заахво́чваць (mentally support or motivate) · pt encorajar (mentally support or motivate) · mi whakatītina (spur on, recommend) · el ενθαρρύνω (mentally support or motivate) · fr encourager (spur on, recommend) · la excito (mentally support or motivate) · la exhortor (mentally support or motivate) · he ראה בחיוב (mentally support or motivate) · eo kuraĝigi (mentally support or motivate) · ca alenar (spur on, recommend) · ca afavorir (foster, give help or patronage) · pl namówić (spur on, recommend) · fr encourager (mentally support or motivate) · he עודד (mentally support or motivate) · bg насърча́вам (mentally support or motivate) · vi khích lệ (mentally support or motivate) · ru ободря́ть (mentally support or motivate) · de empfehlen (spur on, recommend) · sh ohrabrivati (mentally support or motivate) · fi rohkaista (spur on, recommend) · fi rohkaista (mentally support or motivate) · tyz bom (mentally support or motivate) · ka შეგულიანება (mentally support or motivate) · rup mbãrbãtedz (mentally support or motivate) · cmn 鼓勵 /鼓励 (mentally support or motivate) · ga spreag (mentally support or motivate) · es alentar (mentally support or motivate) · es suscitar (mentally support or motivate) · tr teşvik etmek (spur on, recommend) · mi whakakipakipa (spur on, recommend) · da opmuntre (mentally support or motivate) · bg насърча́вам (spur on, recommend) · sl spodbuditi (mentally support or motivate) · pl zachęcić (spur on, recommend) · fi suosia (foster, give help or patronage) · la hortor (spur on, recommend) · da støtte (foster, give help or patronage) · pl dopingować (mentally support or motivate) · pl dodawać odwagi (mentally support or motivate) · nl aanmoedigen (spur on, recommend) · ro încuraja (mentally support or motivate) · hu buzdít (mentally support or motivate) · pl namawiać (spur on, recommend) · km ចលនា (mentally support or motivate) · nl bemoedigen (mentally support or motivate) · ca recomanar (spur on, recommend) · tr yüreklendirmek (mentally support or motivate) · mi whakamanawa (mentally support or motivate) · es encorajar (mentally support or motivate) · uk заохо́чувати (spur on, recommend) · nl patroneren (foster, give help or patronage) · la animo (mentally support or motivate) · es alentar (spur on, recommend) · ar شَجَّعَ (mentally support or motivate) · pl popierać (mentally support or motivate) · nl aanmoedigen (mentally support or motivate) · pl zachęcać (spur on, recommend) · el παροτρύνω (spur on, recommend) · fa تشویق کردن (mentally support or motivate) · fi avustaa (foster, give help or patronage) · cmn 激勵 /激励 (mentally support or motivate) · sv sporra (mentally support or motivate) · hu bátorít (mentally support or motivate) · hy քաջալերել (mentally support or motivate) · grc παρακελεύομαι (mentally support or motivate) · cs povzbudit (mentally support or motivate) · ru поощри́ть (mentally support or motivate) · ca patrocinar (foster, give help or patronage) · el συνιστώ (spur on, recommend) · la corrōborō (mentally support or motivate) · he עודד (mentally support or motivate) · eo subteni (foster, give help or patronage) · ro însufleți (mentally support or motivate) · nl bevorderen (foster, give help or patronage) · it incoraggiare (mentally support or motivate) · tr cesaretlendirmek (mentally support or motivate) · he המליץ (spur on, recommend) · ja 奨励する (mentally support or motivate) · ru поощря́ть (spur on, recommend) · tr desteklemek (foster, give help or patronage) · et õhutama (mentally support or motivate) · be падбадзёрваць (mentally support or motivate) · no oppmuntre (mentally support or motivate) · bg поощря́вам (spur on, recommend) · te ప్రోత్సాహము (mentally support or motivate) · ca encoratjar (mentally support or motivate) · az ruhlandırmaq (mentally support or motivate) · sh ohrabriti (mentally support or motivate) · mi akiaki (spur on, recommend) · ko 격려하다 (mentally support or motivate) · vi động viên (mentally support or motivate) · ang trymman (spur on, recommend)

wikipedia: Old English