encouraged 1 of 2

adjective

1
as in reassured

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2
as in supported

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Dissimilar Words

encouraged

2 of 2

verb

past tense of encourage
1
as in inspired
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in promoted
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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3
as in provoked
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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4
as in urged
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 encouraged
Adjective
The pros—the backbone of the show, who for years seemed encouraged to step back so their celebrity partners could shine—have moved to the fore. — Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 13 Oct. 2026 The play of Phillips, Taaffe, Rodriguez and Johnson should have the Dolphins very encouraged. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026 In one place, a behavior is permissible or even encouraged, while in another, that same behavior is unacceptable and has negative consequences. — Dr. Monika Sumra, Forbes.com, 22 Sep. 2026 Individuals with backgrounds in science are especially encouraged to apply. — Susan Soldavin, Baltimore Sun, 20 Sep. 2026 Additionally, several people said workers aren’t encouraged to wear ventilators or use other types of protective equipment while operating the saws and breathing in the foam dust. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Sep. 2026 Wearing vintage ski gear is also highly encouraged during the festivities. — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 16 Sep. 2026 Anyone returning home is strongly encouraged to remain prepared and make arrangements now to evacuate quickly should conditions worsen or another evacuation order be issued. — Doug Myers, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026 As the long night ended, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald seemed encouraged that Darnold avoided at least one worst-case scenario. — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
Alison Linder, assistant sustainability coordinator at Occidental College, which has a thrift store of its own with Halloween costumes in stock, encouraged people to organize their own swaps with neighbors, friends or school classmates. — Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026 But Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has repeatedly dismissed previous caution of AI tools and encouraged rapid autonomous innovation at the Pentagon. — Chiara Eisner, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026 The government has encouraged employers to do their part to reduce the youth unemployment rate, and Amazon is the latest company to pick up the baton. — Kristen Parisi, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026 With the performance Simone had joined her friends Hansberry and Baldwin, who frequently engaged with and encouraged college students who were on the front lines of the civil rights movement. — Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026 Hayride staff chaperones encouraged riders to look for eight ghosts among displays tucked in the nearby field and along the route. — Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 In a post on X, the FBI's cyber threat division encouraged any organization that can't immediately patch its sites to temporarily take them offline. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 He was encouraged to do so by Sadie Sink, who returned to Broadway in 2025 John Proctor is the Villain. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2026 Although vehicles will be encouraged to use the official route, Caltrans acknowledged that drivers will take the path of least resistance to their destination. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encouraged
  1. reassured
  2. supported
  3. inspired
  4. promoted
  5. provoked
  6. urged
  7. unafraid
  8. suggested
Adjective
  • Given the recent weakness in the stock and the broader macro uncertainty, hearing from management left us feeling more reassured in our position.
    — Jeff Marks,Paulina Likos, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
Definition of reassured
Adjective
  • When a leader is responsible for too many people, employees can start to feel less seen, less supported and less guided.
    — Bronwen Sciortino, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Definition of supported
Verb
  • Scientists have spent decades trying to build artificial molecular machines inspired by the motors that power movement inside living cells.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • How Richard Branson inspired Tan-Gillespie’s career ethos As Tan-Gillespie’s career developed, so did her aspirations.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of inspired
Verb
  • She eventually was promoted over to the ice cream machine—and began to grow fond of the adrenaline-like rush that can come with working in a restaurant.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In low doses, the kratom plant is promoted as giving users greater alertness and physical energy but it is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for medical use.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of promoted
Verb
  • North Korea denied responsibility for the explosions and warned of strong retaliation if provoked.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • French’s post provoked social media responses calling for violence against Indians and desecrating Hindu temples.
    — Arun Brahmbhatt, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of provoked
Verb
  • Eisenkot urged him to do so, arguing that military force without a diplomatic strategy could not deliver a lasting victory.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
  • However, experts urged caution when drawing sweeping conclusions from subgroup survey data.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of urged
Adjective
  • During his playing days, Ryan Fitzpatrick was known as a gunslinger, unafraid to push the ball downfield and take shots.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • And when stocks went on a skid last week, investors were unafraid to turn to their traditional place of refuge, sending Treasury yields sharply lower in the process.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of unafraid
Adjective
  • Owners should check the calorie information on the food label rather than relying solely on the suggested serving size, which may be too generous.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Among suggested changes are expanding voting rights and ending ICE detentions and deportations.
    — Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of suggested

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Cite this Entry

“Encouraged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encouraged. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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