ENCOURAGES Synonyms: 201 Similar and Opposite Words

encourages

verb

present tense third-person singular of encourage

as in inspires

to fill with courage or strength of purpose a pep talk that encouraged the team to get out there and win

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as in promotes

to help the growth or development of asserted that the government should be encouraging small businesses, not smothering them with regulations

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of encourages Applied to a solo outing, that approach encourages diners to appreciate the meal in front of them instead of scrolling through their phones. — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026 Jordan says a recent guideline change encourages doctors to diagnose and treat sooner based on symptoms. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 14 Oct. 2026 Part of what’s keeping inflation high is that Americans overall are continuing to spend, which encourages businesses to keep raising prices for their products and services. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 Prosecutors described a subculture within that online network that glorifies mass killers and encourages imitation. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 Things to do While there’s no shortage of things to do in central Lisbon, the hotel’s location encourages a trip west, to the historic district of Belém. — Julia Wytrazek, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026 And the app Flashfood encourages grocers to list meat, dairy and produce nearing their best-before date at around half price and directs shoppers, including those on public food assistance, to those deals. — Jintao Zhang, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2026 The program encourages youth to build relationships, hone their artistic talents and collaborate on major projects. — Michelle Richardson, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 External consultants have helped redesign how the bank encourages people to disclose, simplifying the process and building trust that the information won’t be used against them. — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for encourages

Verb

Music from kids’ movies often inspires connection, creativity, and even dance parties at home.

— Stephanie Ganz Published, Parents, 18 Oct. 2026
Choose from one of three sleek colorways and let these headphones become the accessory that inspires the outfit.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of inspires

Verb

Knowing the exceptions are happening should be the first step toward addressing those exceptions in a way that supports caregiving staff and promotes quality service.

— Colin Conner II, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
To support that conclusion, Gates cites a demand in Washburn’s petition to CWP that would prohibit the council from doing any outreach that promotes the role of hunting in wildlife management fully six months before an election.

— Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of promotes

Verb

Another question, says Professor Trotti at Ithaca College, is whether a public execution portrays strength or provokes horror.

— Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct. 2026
In deceptively plain diction, the hurdle of one love relationship provokes an exploration of desire and belonging.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of provokes

Verb

In the sweeping farmlands near the Central Coast, a seed supplier that cultivates peppers, vegetables and fruit was hit with more than two dozen pesticide safety violations, some of them serious offenses that caused health or environmental hazards.

— Robert J. Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
Like all classic noirs, Frank cultivates a sweaty, visceral realism to the main character’s desire to have a better life at any cost.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of cultivates

Verb

The glasses project light onto 378 pixels in the implant, which converts those light patterns into an electrical current that stimulates the retina’s bipolar cells.

— Erica Sweeney, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Observation generates hypotheses; hypotheses lead to anatomical investigation; anatomy stimulates physiological questions; physiology eventually produces clinical trials.

— Subramaniam C. Krishnan, STAT, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of stimulates

Verb

Over many rounds, training nudges the student’s internal settings, called weights, so that its answers more closely match the teacher’s.

— Peter Hall, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026
Yannick Nézet-Séguin nudges the orchestra’s warmth and saturation into territory that, if not quite gaudy, is certainly gala-worthy, privileging vibrancy over darkness.

— Justin Davidson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of nudges

Verb

Looking at differences using a balanced frame communicates positive intent, fosters deeper trust and builds engagement.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
With the help of literature and creative writing, the nonprofit fosters a space for connection, self-expression and imagining a life beyond incarceration.

— Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of fosters

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encouragers

encourages

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“Encourages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encourages. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of encourages

verb

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