1
as in inspires
to fill with courage or strength of purpose
a pep talk that encouraged the team to get out there and win
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in promotes
to help the growth or development of
asserted that the government should be encouraging small businesses, not smothering them with regulations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in provokes
to rouse to strong feeling or action
the movie's cheap special effects will not encourage audiences to sit on the edge of their seats but to roll in the aisles with laughter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in urges
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
the pastor continues to encourage the couple to work out their problems in hopes of saving their marriage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encourages
His inept Cabinet ignores, and actually encourages, his very weird and embarrassing meandering.
—
Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Sarah Olim, a general dentist in Katy, Texas, encourages her patients to come in for visits every six months.
—Tribune News Service, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Betty gives Laura her daughter’s clothes to wear, and encourages her to play the piano her daughter used to.
—Jake Coyle, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Ames encourages other people with unexplained symptoms to get tested and to look around their homes for potential mold sources.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency encourages organizations to heighten their cybersecurity vigilance during periods of elevated geopolitical risk.
—William Akoto, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Although Form 1040-ES includes vouchers for mailing in your payment, the IRS strongly encourages taxpayers to pay electronically and is working to reduce reliance on checks and money orders.
—Nancy Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Vaughn also encourages people to be mindful of the beach flag conditions.
—Emily McLeod, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
In fact, the method’s original concept encourages users to choose a duration that makes sense for their lifestyle and the decluttering task at hand.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 2 Apr. 2026
Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Sarah Olim, a general dentist in Katy, Texas, encourages her patients to come in for visits every six months.
—Tribune News Service, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Betty gives Laura her daughter’s clothes to wear, and encourages her to play the piano her daughter used to.
—Jake Coyle, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Ames encourages other people with unexplained symptoms to get tested and to look around their homes for potential mold sources.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency encourages organizations to heighten their cybersecurity vigilance during periods of elevated geopolitical risk.
—William Akoto, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Although Form 1040-ES includes vouchers for mailing in your payment, the IRS strongly encourages taxpayers to pay electronically and is working to reduce reliance on checks and money orders.
—Nancy Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Vaughn also encourages people to be mindful of the beach flag conditions.
—Emily McLeod, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
In fact, the method’s original concept encourages users to choose a duration that makes sense for their lifestyle and the decluttering task at hand.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encourages
Verb
-
SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Office storage rarely inspires much emotion, but Audo Copenhagen’s Crescent system gets close.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Critics are alarmed by its presence at the White House, saying the group promotes extreme views and undermines public schools.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Noah Centineo promotes Our Hero, Balthazar at the Lakers versus Cleveland Cavaliers game in Los Angeles on March 31.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But the question of what is true or not is futile, even if Calle deliberately provokes this curiosity.—
Elisa Wouk Almino
Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The flurry of imagery provokes a surreal sort of whiplash.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Austrian Hospice urges groups of Christian pilgrims to book 16 months ahead.—
Sammy Westfall,
Washington Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
For those struggling with depression or urges to self harm, help is always available.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trump cultivates an aura of unpredictability, but his actions betray certain patterns that are discernible to those who know where to look.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Attendees could also join a breakout session with Run Gen Z, a group that cultivates young Republican candidates for office.—
Gaby Del Valle,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Beta-glucan also stimulates the release of GLP-1 from the gut, sending hormonal signals of fullness to the brain.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2026
-
This molecule directly stimulates bone-building cells, helping increase bone density and strength.—
Hadia Zainab,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Team priorities could collide as the concerned Moon in your 11th House of Aspirations nudges reckless Mars in your 5th House of Risks.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
This perspective helps explain why small changes in choice environments – nudges such as placing salad bars directly in cafeteria serving lines or listing vegetarian options first on menus – can significantly shift behavior without forcing anyone to choose differently.—
Alejandro Hortal-Sánchez,
The Conversation,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This dynamic fosters a sense of inclusion that aligns with the exhibition’s central themes.—
Olga Garcia-Mayoral,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The workplace is comfortable and fosters open communication without retaliation.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encourages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encourages. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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