encourage
The word “encourage” has 3 syllables: en-cour-age
It's pronounced as /ɪnˈkɝɪdʒ/
What is synonym and antonym for encourage?
In the thesaurus, “encourage” has 123 synonyms and 62 antonyms.
Here are synonyms and antonyms for encourage along with examples of usage in sentences.
Synonyms for encourage
- abet
- activate
- adjure
- advance
- advertise
- advocate
- aggravate
- aid
- anger
- animate
- annoy
- arouse
- assist
- assure
- back
- bear up
- beseech
- blandish
- boost
- bother
- buck up
- build a fire under
- cajole
- champion
- coax
- cultivate
- drive
- embolden
- endorse
- endow
- energize
- enflame
- enforce
- enliven
- enrage
- exasperate
- excite
- exhort
- fan
- ferment
- finance
- foment
- fortify
- forward
- foster
- fund
- further
- gall
- galvanize
- get
- goad
- hearten
- high-pressure
- hurry
- hustle
- ignite
- impassion
- implore
- importune
- incite
- incubate
- indorse
- induce
- inflame
- inspire
- inspirit
- instigate
- invigorate
- irritate
- jeer
- kindle
- madden
- motivate
- motive
- move
- nag
- needle
- nourish
- nudge
- nurse
- nurture
- patronize
- pique
- plug
- press
- pressure
- prod
- promote
- prompt
- propel
- provoke
- publicize
- pump up
- push
- quicken
- raise
- rally
- reassure
- reenforce
- reinforce
- rush
- set off
- soft-soap
- spark
- spur
- stake
- steel
- stimulate
- stir
- strengthen
- subsidize
- support
- taunt
- tease
- tout
- trigger
- underwrite
- uphold
- upset
- urge
- vex
- vitalize
- wheedle
Antonyms for encourage
- appease
- arrest
- ban
- bar
- battle
- brake
- calm
- check
- combat
- constrain
- counter
- curb
- daunt
- debilitate
- demoralize
- depress
- deter
- discourage
- dishearten
- dispirit
- dissuade
- encumber
- enfeeble
- enjoin
- fetter
- fight
- forbid
- frustrate
- halt
- hamstring
- hinder
- hobble
- hold back
- impede
- inhibit
- interdict
- intimidate
- manacle
- mollify
- obstruct
- oppose
- outlaw
- pacify
- placate
- prevent
- prohibit
- proscribe
- repress
- restrain
- retard
- sadden
- shackle
- soothe
- squash
- squelch
- stifle
- subdue
- suppress
- tranquilize
- tranquillize
- undermine
- weaken
Meanings of encourage
- verb
- To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.
- To spur on, strongly recommend.
- To foster, give help or patronage.
Example Sentences
- Teachers should encourage students to ask questions in class.
- Parents often encourage their children to pursue their dreams.
- The coach tried to encourage the team after their tough loss.
- Small rewards can encourage positive behavior in children.
- Friends are there to encourage one another in difficult times.
On this page you'll find 185 synonyms, antonyms, or another words to encourage, such as: abet, activate, adjure, advance, advertise, advocate, aggravate.
Make sure to choose synonyms and antonyms that are appropriate for the context of the sentence.
Related Words
abet
- activate
- advance
- advise
- advocate
- aid
- assist
- attend
- back
- backstop
- bail out
- bear a hand
- benefit
- bolster
- boost
- brew
- buttress
- champion
- comfort
- condone
- counsel
- cultivate
- deliver
- detonate
- ease
- egg on
- embolden
- encourage
- endorse
- energize
- enflame
- enliven
- excite
- facilitate
- favor
- ferment
- fire
- foment
- forward
- foster
- further
- galvanize
- goad
- guide
- hearten
- help
- incite
- indorse
- inflame
- inspire
- instigate
- invigorate
- launch
- mentor
- motivate
- nourish
- nurture
- oblige
- patronize
- pick
- prod
- profit
- promote
- provoke
- quicken
- raise
- reenforce
- reinforce
- rescue
- rouse
- sanction
- save
- serve
- set
- set in motion
- set off
- sow
- sponsor
- spur
- stimulate
- succor
- support
- sustain
- to stand one in good stead
- trigger
- urge
- vitalize
back
- aback
- abaft
- abet
- abide by
- about
- across
- adopt
- advance
- advise
- advocate
- affirm
- aft
- after
- ago
- agone
- aid
- ally
- angel
- anticlockwise
- around
- assist
- astern
- athwart
- attend
- avouch
- back end
- back of
- backside
- backstop
- backtrack
- backward
- backwards
- bail out
- bankroll
- bear a hand
- behind
- benefit
- bolster
- boost
- buttress
- champion
- chink
- comfort
- confirm
- corroborate
- counsel
- countenance
- counter
- counterclockwise
- delayed
- deliver
- dorsal
- down
- downfall
- downward
- downwards
- drive back
- ease
- elapsed
- embolden
- embrace
- encourage
- endorse
- espouse
- establish
- extremity
- facilitate
- fall back
- far end
- favor
- final
- finance
- following
- former
- forward
- foster
- further
- give a boost
- give a leg up
- give a lift
- go in for
- go to bat for
- grubstake
- guide
- hamartia
- hearten
- help
- hind
- hinder
- hindmost
- hindpart
- hindquarters
- hold a brief for
- in the wake of
- indorse
- jugular
- launch
- left-handed
- left-handedly
- mentor
- nurture
- oblige
- obversely
- overdue
- past
- patronize
- plug
- posterior
- preach
- previous
- profit
- promote
- prove
- rear
- rearmost
- rearward
- rearwards
- recede
- reenforce
- regress
- reinforce
- repel
- repulse
- rescue
- retire
- retract
- retreat
- retrograde
- reverse
- reversely
- round
- ruin
- sanction
- save
- second
- serve
- side with
- since
- soft spot
- sponsor
- stake
- stand behind
- stand up for
- stern
- sternforemost
- stick by
- stick up for
- subsidize
- substantiate
- succor
- support
- sustain
- syne
- tail
- tail end
- tailpiece
- talk up
- to stand one in good stead
- tragic flaw
- turn tail
- underbelly
- underwrite
- undoing
- uphold
- validate
- verify
- widdershins
- withdraw
- withershins
keep an eye on
- abide by
- accomplish
- accord
- adhere to
- administer
- adopt
- advance
- advise
- aid
- angel
- attend
- attend to
- audit
- baby sit
- baby-sit
- back
- bankroll
- be a source of strength
- be attentive
- be consistent with
- be devoted to
- be guided by
- be in charge
- be in keeping
- be in the saddle
- be interested in
- be on duty
- be responsible for
- beam
- bedog
- behold
- boss
- bring up
- bulwark
- buoy up
- call the play
- call the shots
- captain
- care for
- case
- catch
- cater to
- chaperon
- chaperone
- check
- check out
- cherish
- command
- comply
- concentrate
- concentrate on
- conduct
- conform
- contemplate
- control
- convoy
- copy
- corral
- counsel
- cover
- cover up
- crack the whip
- cradle
- cultivate
- deal with
- defend
- detect
- devote oneself
- dig
- direct
- discern
- discipline
- discover
- distinguish
- do
- do for
- do like
- dog
- eagle eye
- eagle-eye
- emulate
- encourage
- ensure
- escort
- espy
- examine
- eye
- eyeball
- father
- feed
- fend
- finance
- flash
- focus
- follow
- follow suit
- fortify
- forward
- foster
- fund
- further
- gape
- gawk
- gaze
- get a load of
- get an eyeful of
- give a leg up
- give allegiance to
- give heed to
- give the once-over
- glance
- glare
- glimpse
- goggle
- govern
- guard
- handle
- harbor
- harmonize
- have a look-see
- have charge of
- hear
- hearken
- heed
- herd
- hold fast
- hound
- humor
- imitate
- immunize
- indulge
- inoculate
- inspect
- irradiate
- keep
- keep abreast of
- keep alive
- keep in view
- keep tabs on
- keep track of
- keep under surveillance
- lamp
- lend an ear
- listen
- listen up
- live up to
- look
- look after
- look at
- look on
- lookout
- maintain
- make a living
- make certain
- make out
- manage
- mark
- match
- medicate
- mimic
- mind
- mind the store
- minister
- minister to
- mirror
- model on
- monitor
- mother
- note
- notice
- nourish
- nurse
- nurture
- obey
- observe
- occupy oneself with
- overlook
- oversee
- pamper
- patrol
- pattern oneself upon
- pay attention
- pay attention to
- pay expenses of
- pay for
- pay heed
- peek
- peep
- peer
- perceive
- perform
- pick up
- pick up on
- pick up the check
- pipe
- police
- preserve
- preside over
- promote
- prop
- protect
- provide for
- pursue
- put up money for
- quarterback
- raise
- read
- recognize
- record
- reflect
- regard
- ride herd on
- ride shotgun for
- rubberneck
- run
- run the show
- run things
- safeguard
- save
- scan
- scope
- screen
- scrutinize
- secure
- see
- see after
- see to
- serve
- set up
- shadow
- shelter
- shepherd
- shield
- shotgun
- sight
- sit
- sit on top of
- skipper
- sponsor
- spot
- spy
- stake
- stalk
- stare
- stiffen
- stonewall
- strengthen
- string along
- stroke
- study
- subsidize
- succor
- superintend
- supervise
- support
- surveil
- survey
- sustain
- tag
- take a gander
- take after
- take as an example
- take care of
- take charge of
- take in
- take notice
- take pains
- take under wing
- tend
- track
- trail
- treat
- underwrite
- uphold
- vaccinate
- view
- wait
- wait on
- watch
- watch out for
- watch over
- witness
quarterback
- Dutch uncle
- accommodate
- accompany
- adapt
- adjust
- administer
- administrate
- advise
- adviser
- affect
- agree
- agree to
- aide
- architect
- arrange
- arranger
- attend
- attorney
- atune
- authority
- baby-sit
- backseat driver
- bargain for
- be in charge
- be in saddle
- be in the saddle
- be on duty
- be responsible for
- beacon
- block out
- blueprint
- boss
- brainstorm
- bring
- bring on
- builder
- bully
- buttinsky
- calculate
- call
- call the play
- call the shots
- call the signals
- captain
- carry on
- cause
- chaperon
- chaperone
- chart
- clubhouse lawyer
- coach
- coerce
- combine
- come to terms
- command
- commander
- compel
- compromise
- concert
- concoct
- conduce
- conduct
- confidant
- conform
- conspire
- construct
- consultant
- contemplate
- contrive
- contriver
- control
- control the affairs of
- convey
- convoy
- cook up
- coordinate
- correlate
- counsel
- counselor
- coxswain
- crack the whip
- craft
- deal with
- decide
- design
- designer
- determine
- developer
- devise
- direct
- director
- discipline
- dispose
- doctor
- dominate
- domineer
- draft
- drive
- educate
- employ
- encourage
- engineer
- escort
- establish
- excite
- expert
- eye
- figure on
- figure out
- finagler
- find a way
- fix to
- force
- form
- formulate
- formulator
- frame
- friend
- galvanize
- generator
- get
- get act together
- get it together
- get ready
- get the jump on
- go along with
- go out in front
- govern
- guard
- guide
- hammer out a deal
- handle
- handler
- harmonize
- hatch
- hatcher
- have a handle on
- have the say
- head
- head up
- hearten
- helm
- helper
- herd
- hold purse strings
- hold sway over
- hold the reins
- impel
- inaugurator
- incline
- induce
- influence
- initiate
- initiator
- inspect
- inspire
- inspirer
- instill
- instituter
- institutor
- instruct
- instructor
- integrate
- intrigue
- introduce
- invent
- iron out
- judge
- keep
- keep an eye on
- kibitzer
- launch
- lawyer
- lay in provisions
- lay out
- lead
- leader
- line up
- look after
- machinator
- make a connection
- make arrangements
- make ready
- maker
- manage
- manager
- maneuver
- maneuverer
- manipulate
- map
- map out
- marshal
- mastermind
- meditate
- mentor
- mesh
- monitor
- motivate
- move
- navigate
- negotiate
- operate
- ordain
- order
- organize
- organizer
- originate
- originator
- outline
- overlook
- oversee
- partner
- pass along
- persuade
- pilot
- pioneer
- planner
- plot
- plotter
- point out
- point the way
- pool
- precede
- predominate
- prepare
- preside over
- prevail
- priest
- produce
- producer
- project
- promote
- prompt
- proportion
- protect
- provide
- pull a wire
- pull things together
- pull together
- push buttons
- ready
- reckon on
- reconcile
- reconciliate
- referee
- regiment
- regulate
- reign
- reign over
- represent
- resolve
- ride herd on
- righthand man
- righthand person
- rough in
- route
- rule
- run
- run the show
- run things
- safeguard
- schedule
- scheme
- schemer
- second-guesser
- see
- serve
- set out
- set stage
- settle
- shape
- shape up
- shepherd
- show
- show around
- show in
- show the way
- sit on top of
- sketch
- skipper
- span
- spark
- spawner
- spearhead
- spur
- squire
- steer
- subject
- subjugate
- superintend
- supervise
- survey
- sway
- synchronize
- systematize
- tailor
- take care of
- take charge
- take the reins
- teach
- teacher
- team up
- tend
- tipster
- tout
- trace
- trail-blaze
- trailblaze
- train
- traverse
- tutor
- usher
- watch
- watch over
- work out
- work out a deal
backstop
- abet
- advance
- advise
- aid
- assist
- attend
- back
- bail out
- balustrade
- bar
- barbed wire
- barricade
- bear a hand
- benefit
- block
- boards
- bolster
- boost
- buttress
- chains
- champion
- comfort
- counsel
- defense
- deliver
- dike
- ease
- embolden
- encourage
- endorse
- facilitate
- favor
- forward
- foster
- further
- guard
- guide
- hearten
- hedge
- help
- indorse
- launch
- mentor
- net
- nurture
- oblige
- paling
- palisade
- patronize
- pickets
- posts
- profit
- promote
- rail
- railing
- rampart
- reenforce
- reinforce
- rescue
- roadblock
- save
- serve
- shield
- sponsor
- stakes
- stockade
- stop
- succor
- support
- sustain
- to stand one in good stead
- wall