encourage

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪnˈkʌɹ.ɪd͡ʒ/ See IPA manual

Freq #6224

Meanings

1

verb
To give someone confidence, hope, or support

I encouraged him throughout the race.
2

verb
To strongly suggest or persuade someone to do something

We encourage everyone to cycle into the town centre.
3

verb
To help something develop or grow

The royal family has always encouraged the arts.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to give someone confidence,... cheer embolden

2 verb · to strongly suggest or... urge advise recommend

3 verb · to help something develop... foster promote

Word family

Forms encouragedencourages

Derived forms disencourageencourageableencouragementencouragerencouraging encouraginglyoverencouragereencourage

Related forms courage

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.

encouragen Middle English encoragier Old French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# encourage

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪnˈkʌɹ.ɪd͡ʒ/
**Frequency rank:** 6224

## Meanings
1. To give someone confidence, hope, or support
2. To strongly suggest or persuade someone to do something
3. To help something develop or grow

## Examples
- I encouraged him throughout the race.
- We encourage everyone to cycle into the town centre.
- The royal family has always encouraged the arts.

## Derived Forms
- disencourage
- encourageable
- encouragement
- encourager
- encouraging
- encouragingly
- overencourage
- reencourage

## Related Forms
- courage

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: encouragen
- Root: encoragier
- Affix: en- - in, into

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Encourage comes 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. In current use, the main senses are “To give someone confidence, hope, or support” and “To strongly suggest or persuade someone to do something”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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