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
This summer, Newsom increased the total film and TV tax credit to $750 million in California, nearly doubling the previous cap, in a bid to encourage more productions to film in Los Angeles.
—
Ritika Gupta, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025
This emotional confidence will encourage upbeat times socializing with others, as well as exploring sports events and fun activities with kids.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
Putin’s cabinet ministers now encourage young women to forgo higher education and have babies—as many of them as possible.
—Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
These events encourage community members to dispose of hazardous materials like gasoline, oil, chemicals, and more, which can be difficult to dispose of and pose a safety risk if not handled correctly.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encourage
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Ritika Gupta, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025
This emotional confidence will encourage upbeat times socializing with others, as well as exploring sports events and fun activities with kids.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
Putin’s cabinet ministers now encourage young women to forgo higher education and have babies—as many of them as possible.
—Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
These events encourage community members to dispose of hazardous materials like gasoline, oil, chemicals, and more, which can be difficult to dispose of and pose a safety risk if not handled correctly.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 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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