encourage
[verb]
Synonyms:
- inspire, buoy up, cheer, comfort, console, embolden, hearten, reassure
- spur, advocate, egg on, foster, promote, prompt, support, urge

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Antonyms: discourage
Contrasted words: deject, depress, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, affright, caution, frighten, deter, dissuade, divert, hinder, inhibit, restrain, disapprove, weaken, check, retard, slow
Related Idioms: give a shot in the arm, lend one's countenance to, lend one's favor (or support) to, smile upon
Related Words: assure, reassure, boost, excite, galvanize, pique, provoke, quicken, stimulate, buck up, buoy (up), energize, fortify, invigorate, rally, stir, approve, back, endorse, go (for), sanction, subscribe (to), abet, assist, reinforce, support, sustain, incite, instigate, induce, prevail, patronize, push, develop, improve, subsidize

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English Thesaurus: effect, impact, influence, side effect, after-effects, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

en‧cour‧age S2 W1 /ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒ $ ɪnˈkɜːr-/ verb [transitive]
[Word Family: adjective: encouraged ≠ discouraged, encouraging ≠ discouraging; verb: encourage ≠ discourage; noun: encouragement ≠ discouragement; adverb: encouragingly ≠ discouragingly]

1. to give someone the courage or confidence to do something Antonym : discourage:
I want to thank everyone who has encouraged and supported me.
encourage somebody to do something
Cooder was encouraged to begin playing the guitar by his father.
encourage somebody in something
Fleur encouraged Dana in her ambition to become a model.

2. to persuade someone to do something Antonym : discourage:
Cantor didn’t mind if they worked late; in fact, he actively encouraged it.
encourage somebody to do something
A 10p rise in cigarette prices is not enough to encourage smokers to stop.

3. to make something more likely to exist, happen, or develop:
Violent TV programmes encourage anti-social behaviour.
—encouraged adjective [not before noun]:
She felt encouraged by the many letters of support.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

encourage
verb
ADV. greatly, strongly We were greatly encouraged by the support we received.
actively, positively The government must actively encourage investment in these areas.
VERB + ENCOURAGE aim to | try to | be designed to These questions are designed to encourage debate.
be likely to Newspapers should not publish material that is likely to encourage discrimination on the grounds of race or colour.
PREP. in Her head of department encouraged her in her research work.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

effect a change that is caused by an event, action etc:
The people in this area are still suffering from the effects of the famine.
The treatment had little or no effect.
impact an effect that happens as a result of something important, especially a big and permanent effect:
Changes in technology have had a massive impact on the way we work.
the environmental impact of industrial activity
influence the effect that something has on people’s opinions or behaviour, or on how something develops:
American television has had a big influence on popular culture in the west.
His ideas had a lot of influence at the time.
side effect an unwanted and unplanned effect that something has – used especially about drugs and medical treatment:
Common side effects of the drug may include headaches and muscle pains.
after-effects British English, aftereffects American English bad effects that continue for a long time after the thing that caused them:
A traumatic experience can have severe psychological after-effects.
the after-effects of the war
repercussions /ˌriːpəˈkʌʃəns $ -pər-// the effects that happen later as a result of an event or decision, especially a range of effects that continue for a long time:
The scandal could have serious repercussions for her career.
The judge’s decision is likely to have important repercussions for future cases of this kind.
a knock-on effect British English used when something has an effect on something, which then has an effect on something else:
Higher oil prices have a knock-on effect on other fuels.
footprint the effect that human activities have on the environment, caused by using up its natural resources, pollution, waste etc:
Businesses all over the world must attempt to reduce their environmental footprint.
The house has a low carbon footprint (=it uses very little energy from carbon and therefore is good for the environment).
persuade to make someone decide to do something, especially by giving them reasons why they should do it, or asking them many times to do it:
I persuaded her to change her mind.
Do you think you can persuade him to lend us the money?
talk somebody into (doing) something to persuade someone to do something, especially something they do not really want to do:
Why did I let you talk me into this?
He finally talked her into going on a date with him.
get somebody to do something to make someone do something by persuading or asking them:
If we can’t get a taxi I’ll get Joe to pick us up.
I know how to get you to kiss me.
convince to persuade someone that they should do something, because it is the best or the right thing to do. Some British speakers think this use is incorrect, and prefer to use persuade:
It would be difficult to convince him to move.
encourage to try to persuade someone to do something, especially because you think it will be good for them:
Children should be encouraged to read all kinds of books.
coax to persuade someone to do something by talking gently and kindly:
I tried to coax him to eat a little.
cajole /kəˈdʒəʊl $ -ˈdʒoʊl/ to persuade someone to do something by praising them or making promises to them:
He hoped to cajole her into selling her house.
put somebody up to something to persuade or encourage someone to do something wrong or stupid:
Who put you up to this?
dissuade formal to persuade someone not to do something:
How do you dissuade young people from experimenting with drugs?

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

persuade to make someone decide to do something, especially by giving them reasons why they should do it, or asking them many times to do it:
I persuaded her to change her mind.
Do you think you can persuade him to lend us the money?
talk somebody into (doing) something to persuade someone to do something, especially something they do not really want to do:
Why did I let you talk me into this?
He finally talked her into going on a date with him.
get somebody to do something to make someone do something by persuading or asking them:
If we can’t get a taxi I’ll get Joe to pick us up.
I know how to get you to kiss me.
convince to persuade someone that they should do something, because it is the best or the right thing to do. Some British speakers think this use is incorrect, and prefer to use persuade:
It would be difficult to convince him to move.
encourage to try to persuade someone to do something, especially because you think it will be good for them:
Children should be encouraged to read all kinds of books.
influence to have an effect on what someone decides to do:
What influences you to buy clothes?
coax to persuade someone to do something by talking gently and kindly:
I tried to coax him to eat a little.
cajole /kəˈdʒəʊl $ -ˈdʒoʊl/ to persuade someone to do something by praising them or making promises to them:
He hoped to cajole her into selling her house.
put somebody up to something to persuade or encourage someone to do something wrong or stupid:
Who put you up to this?
dissuade formal to persuade someone not to do something:
How do you dissuade young people from experimenting with drugs?

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲