encourage
verb
en·cour·age
in-ˈkər-ij 
-ˈkə-rij,
en-
encouraged; encouraging
1
2
: to spur on : stimulate
warm weather encourages plant growth
3
: to give help or patronage to : foster
government grants designed to encourage conservation
encourager
noun
Examples of encourage in a Sentence
They encouraged us in our work.
Encourage each other with kind words.
The program is meant to encourage savings.
Warm weather encourages plant growth.
He claims the new regulations will encourage investment.
He claims the new regulations will encourage people to invest.
We want to encourage students to read more.
My parents encouraged me to go back to college.
They encouraged her to go.
Recent Examples on the Web
On the positive side, the increase in applications from students of color and the growing diversity of the applicant pool are encouraging signs of progress toward more significant equity in higher education.
—
Scott White, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Community Board 2 voted against the project in May, hoping to encourage the state liquor board to deny the liquor license, though community boards have no actual blocking power.
—Bridget Read, Curbed, 14 Mar. 2025
Federal rules mandate that the agency ban food additives that have been found to cause cancer in animals or humans, so consumer and health advocates encouraged the FDA to ban Red 3 in foods as well.
—Chantelle Lee, TIME, 14 Mar. 2025
Mercury retrograde in Aries encourages you to pause before speaking.
—Colin Bedell, Them, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encourage
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Scott White, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Community Board 2 voted against the project in May, hoping to encourage the state liquor board to deny the liquor license, though community boards have no actual blocking power.
—Bridget Read, Curbed, 14 Mar. 2025
Federal rules mandate that the agency ban food additives that have been found to cause cancer in animals or humans, so consumer and health advocates encouraged the FDA to ban Red 3 in foods as well.
—Chantelle Lee, TIME, 14 Mar. 2025
Mercury retrograde in Aries encourages you to pause before speaking.
—Colin Bedell, Them, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encourage
Cite this Entry
“Encourage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encourage. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
encourage
verb
en·cour·age
in-ˈkər-ij
-ˈkə-rij
encouraged; encouraging
1
a
: to cause to feel courage, spirit, or hope
encouraged by her kind words
b
: to try to persuade
encouraged him to go back to school
2
: to spur on : stimulate
3
: to give help to : foster
government grants to encourage young artists
warm weather encourages plant growth
encouragement
noun
-mənt
encouragingly
adverb
-ij-iŋ-lē
-rij-
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