ENCOURAGE

encourage

(verb) spur on; “His financial success encouraged him to look for a wife”

encourage

(verb) inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to

promote, advance, boost, further, encourage

(verb) contribute to the progress or growth of; “I am promoting the use of computers in the classroom”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Verb

encourage (third-person singular simple present encourages, present participle encouraging, simple past and past participle encouraged) (transitive)

To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.

To spur on, strongly recommend.

To foster, give help or patronage

Synonyms

• bield

• embolden

Antonyms

• becourage

• discourage

Source: Wiktionary


En*cour"age (; 48), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Encouraged (; 48); p. pr. & vb. n. Encouraging.] Etym: [F. encourager; pref. en- (L. in) + courage courage. See Courage.]

Definition: To give courage to; to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope; to raise, or to increase, the confidence of; to animate; enhearten; to incite; to help forward; -- the opposite of discourage. David encouraged himself in the Lord. 1 Sam. xxx. 6.

Syn.

– To embolden; inspirit; animate; enhearten; hearten; incite; cheer; urge; impel; stimulate; instigate; countenance; comfort; promote; advance; forward; strengthen.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

3 June 2025

OWNER

(noun) (law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business; “he is the owner of a chain of restaurants”


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Coffee Trivia

Raw coffee beans, soaked in water and spices, are chewed like candy in many parts of Africa.

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