encourage

present singular third person encourages · participle present encouraging · participle past encouraged · past encouraged · alternative archaic incourage

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

   I encouraged him during his race.

   3 more examples

   Delia's coach encouraged her to focus on the positives.

   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 28, A. W. Bennett, “A Locomotive Shedmaster's Day”, in Railway Magazine, page 273

   "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

   Synonyms: bield, embolden, hearten, abet, actuate, goose, fuel, light a fire under · Antonyms: discourage, dishearten

2. transitiveTo spur on, strongly recommend.

   We encourage the use of bicycles in the town centre.

   1 more example

   We encourage you to cycle instead of taking the car.

   Synonyms: exhort, admonish, adjure, advise, advocate, counsel, urge, exhort

3. transitiveTo foster, give help or patronage.

   The royal family has always encouraged the arts in word and deed.

   3 more examples

   In addition the Marquess built a brickworks adjacent to the colliery, and also greatly improved the harbour to encourage coastal shipping.

   1960 January 28, Iain D. O. Frew, “The Brora Colliery Tramway”, in Railway Magazine, page 55

   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

   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

   Synonyms: promote, foster, feed, grow, culture, cultivate, promote, raise