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to urge on

to urge on

5 3.4
To encourage someone to go faster or try harder
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : animar
  • Talanne stared at him, her face eager, as if urging him on.
  • the crowd urging them on
  • urged their team on
  • urged his horse on

I I I can only urge them on to do so though.

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Examples

  • At least Gould in his corner is still throwing punches... trying to urge his man on.

  • A boxer has "the man in the corner" who tries to urge his fighter on to victory.

    Academic text (1993)
  • A firm hand in the small of my back urged me on up the path.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • The crowd is urging Jake on.

  • Officers trotted ahead of them, urging them on.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • His heart pounding, Alexander turned toward his home and began to run, urged on by a still, small voice in the wind.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Though they were sore-stumped and tired, Littlefoot urged them on.

  • Jondalar urged Racer on, and the horse responded with an all-out burst of speed.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The coach urged on the players to give their best in the final match.

  • The fans cheered, urging on the team as they played for the championship.

Synonyms

to encourage
vsto urge on
2.3

Give someone support and confidence so they try or keep doing something

does so by motivating forward effort rather than only offering support
to push
vsto urge on
958 1.1

To urge someone to do something or try harder

does so by prompting effort rather than by insistent coercion
to inspire
vsto urge on
837 3.2

Cause someone to feel excited and ready to act

does so by prompting effort and forward movement rather than creative spark
to urge
vsto urge on
591 3.2

To strongly encourage someone to do something

does so by motivating without strong persuasion or forceful pressure
to cheer
vsto urge on
356 1.0

To shout to show support for someone or something

does so by motivating direct action and effort rather than only noisy support
to press
vsto urge on
285 3.9

Ask someone firmly and repeatedly to do something

does so by motivating without the persistent demanding tone
to pressure
vsto urge on
149 4.2

To try to make someone do something

does so without coercion, focusing on motivating rather than forcing action
to propel
vsto urge on
45 4.7

To make someone want to do something

does so by encouraging steady effort rather than only causing initial action
to exhort
vsto urge on
  • Formal
16 7.7

To strongly encourage someone to do something

does so without the formal or urgent tone of such speech
to egg on
vsto urge on
  • Informal
12 6.6

To urge someone to do something, often something unwise

does so to promote effort and progress, not to push risky behaviour
to impel
vsto urge on
4 7.2

To make someone feel they must do something, often because of pressure or need

does so by encouragement rather than by external pressure or necessity
to give a prod
vsto urge on
3.9

Encourage someone gently to start doing something

does so by motivating stronger effort rather than providing only a mild prompt
to root on
vsto urge on
  • UK
6.5

To cheer for someone loudly to show support

does so by giving personal motivation for effort rather than only crowd support
to barrack
vsto urge on
  • UK
7.9

To shout or cheer to support someone at a game

does so by motivating individual effort rather than only voicing crowd support

Antonyms

257 3.5

To try to stop something by making people less willing to do it

How Encouraging

to incite
  • NSFW
72 7.7
to egg on
  • Informal
12 6.6
to exhort
  • Formal
16 7.7
to urge on
5 3.4
to encourage
2.3
to prompt
217 3.6

Surface Forms

urge on infinitive
urging on present participle
urges on third person singular
urged on past
urged on past participle

Morphology

urge + on

The meaning 'to encourage or motivate someone to move forward or try harder' is directly derivable from 'urge' (to press or persuade) combined with the particle 'on', which conveys continuation/direction, so the composite sense of prompting continued action is predictable. This verb+particle composition is a common, cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Urge on comes from the image of people pushing or shouting from behind to make someone go faster, with urge like a push or loud call and on meaning forward. That's why it now means 'to encourage or motivate someone to move forward or try harder'.