encourage

(ĕn-kûr'ĭj, -kŭr'-)
tr.v., -aged, -ag·ing, -ag·es.

1. To inspire with hope, courage, or confidence; hearten.
2. To give support to; foster: policies designed to encourage private investment.
3. To stimulate; spur: burning the field to encourage new plant growth.

[Middle English encouragen, from Old French encoragier : en-, causative pref.; see en-¹ + corage, courage; see courage.]

encourager en·cour'ag·er n.

SYNONYMS   encourage, animate, cheer, embolden, hearten, inspirit. These verbs mean to impart courage, inspiration, and resolution to: encouraged the athlete to compete; played music to animate the crowd; a visitor cheering the patient; was emboldened to sing for the guests; praise that heartened us; a pep talk that inspirited the weary team.
ANTONYM  discourage

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verb

1. To impart courage, inspiration, and resolution to: animate, cheer (on), embolden, inspire, inspirit, motivate. See help/harm/harmless.
2. To impart strength and confidence to: buck up, cheer (up), hearten, nerve, perk up. See help/harm/harmless.
3. To lend supportive approval to: countenance, favor, smile on (or upon). See support/oppose.
4. To help bring about: feed, foster, promote. See help/harm/harmless.

v

Definition: give support; help
Antonyms: block, confuse, deter, discourage

v

Definition: stimulate spiritually
Antonyms: dampen, deject, depress, deter, discourage, dispirit, dissuade, uninspire

IN BRIEF: To make feel more confident. Also: To inspire.

Since new developments are the products of a creative mind, we must therefore stimulate and encourage that type of mind in every way possible. — George Washington Carver (1864-1943).

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as in: to motivate
sign description: Both hands make a pushing movement forward with the palms up.

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For a list of words related to encourage, see:

• Support, Encouragement, and Agreement - encourage: (vb) inspire with courage or confidence; give assistance to

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See words rhyming with "encourager."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Encourage.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - opmuntre, tilskynde, fremme, bistå, befordre

Nederlands (Dutch)
aanmoedigen, bemoedigen, steunen

Français (French)
v. tr. - encourager, favoriser, flatter/encourager (de mauvaises habitudes), inciter à

Deutsch (German)
v. - ermutigen, ermuntern

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - ενθαρρύνω, εμψυχώνω, δίνω κουράγιο, παρακινώ

Italiano (Italian)
incoraggiare, consolare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - encorajar

Русский (Russian)
ободрять, воодушевлять, поощрять

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - estimular, fomentar, animar, alentar

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - uppmuntra, inge mod, understödja

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
鼓励, 激励, 支持

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 鼓勵, 激勵, 支援

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 용기를 북돋우다, 촉진하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 勇気づける, 励ます, 奨励する, 促進する, 元気づける

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يستحث, يشجع‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮עודד, חיזק את ידי‬

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