encourage
To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.
Verb 3 meanings
To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.
“I encouraged him during his race.”
To spur on, strongly recommend.
“We encourage the use of bicycles in the town centre.”
To foster, give help or patronage.
“The royal family has always encouraged the arts in word and deed.”
Etymology
From Middle English encouragen, encoragen, from Anglo-Norman encoragier, from Old French encoragier. Displaced native Old English hiertan, tyhtan, and trymman. By surface analysis, en- + courage.
Similar and opposite words
ENCOURAGE at a glance
ENCOURAGE has 9 letters and scores 12 points in Scrabble (E 1 + N 1 + C 3 + O 1 + U 1 + R 1 + A 1 + G 2 + E 1) and 16 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #3,229 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with encourage
All rhymesOne letter away
- ENTOURAGE10
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