Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
encouraging

encouraging

130 1.9
Giving someone support or hope so they feel more confident
  • adjective
  • /ɪnˈkɜːrɪdʒɪŋ/
: alentador
  • Her encouraging words gave him the confidence to try for the promotion.
  • very encouraging
  • encouraging results
  • most encouraging

It's tremendously encouraging that you got big hearts.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • I can't tell you how encouraging it is to get plants growing.

  • Yeah, more encouraging news from the banking sector.

  • I will send you a really fun, encouraging e-mail every single day.

  • But, you know, are you seeing encouraging signs?

    Adam Conover

  • Well, you know, some encouraging signs yesterday.

    Jack Lyon: Veterans Serving Veterans (2013)

  • Results of the content test were encouraging for most students.

    Academic text (2015)

  • I just, I find it very encouraging.

    25 Hill (2011)

  • Yet, the industry level estimates for Canada do not lead to a very encouraging picture as well.

    Academic text (1999)

  • The early results were sufficiently encouraging for Whittington to proceed using borrowed funds.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Roger Conover, my editor at MIT Press, has been nothing but supportive, encouraging, and helpful.

    Academic text (1994)

Synonyms

supportive
vsencouraging
335 2.8

Willing to give help or comfort when someone needs it

gives confidence and hope in addition to offering practical help
inspiring
vsencouraging
190 3.6

Makes people feel excited and want to try something new

offers support and confidence rather than mainly creative stimulation
inspirational
vsencouraging
92 3.2

Making you feel encouraged and hopeful

gives practical support and confidence rather than mainly emotional motivation
stimulating
vsencouraging
47 3.9

To make someone feel more awake and interested

provides confidence and hope rather than only increasing interest
supporting
vsencouraging
28 2.1

Giving help or comfort to someone who needs it

focuses more on building confidence and likelihood to act than steady aid
assuring
vsencouraging
1 3.4

Making someone feel confident and less worried

promotes hope and action beyond simply removing worry
inspiriting
vsencouraging
1 6.4

Making people feel more cheerful and hopeful

gives confidence or practical support rather than simple cheerfulness

Antonyms

discouraging
29 3.9

Causing someone to feel less confident or hopeful about trying something

How Encouraging

inspiring
190 3.6
promising
205 3.1
encouraging
130 1.9
neutral
198 3.6
unpromising
2 4.5
discouraging
29 3.9

Surface Forms

encouraging positive

Morphology

encouraging = encourage (transparent) = en + courage + ing

Formed from the verb 'encourage' with the productive '-ing' participial suffix; meaning 'providing encouragement' is directly derived.

Etymology

Encouraging comes from en- meaning 'in' and courage which comes from a word for 'heart', so it originally meant 'putting heart into' someone. That's why something encouraging gives people support, confidence, or hope.