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encourages - 20 thesaurus results
Main Entry: encourage
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: stimulate spiritually
Synonyms: animate, applaud, boost, brighten, buck up*, buoy, cheer, cheer up, comfort, console, embolden, energize, enliven, excite, exhilarate, fortify, galvanize, gladden, goad, hearten, incite, inspire, instigate, praise, prick, push, rally, reassure, refresh, restore, rouse, spur, steel, stir, strengthen, sway, enhearten, give shot in arm, inspirit, prop up, psych up, revitalize, revivify
Antonyms: dampen, deject, depress, deter, discourage, dissuade, dispirit, uninspire
Main Entry: encourage
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: give support; help
Synonyms: abet, advance, advocate, aid, approve, assist, back, back up, befriend, bolster, boost, brace, comfort, console, countenance, develop, ease, egg on*, endorse, favor, fortify, forward, foster, further, go for*, improve, instigate, invite, pat on the back, prevail, promote, push, reassure, reinforce, relieve, sanction, second, serve, solace, spur, strengthen, subsidize, succor, support, sustain, uphold, get behind, give a leg up, pull for, root for, side with*, smile upon, subscribe to
Antonyms: block, confuse, deter, discourage
Main Entry: abet
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: assist, help in wrongdoing
Synonyms: advocate, back, condone, egg on*, encourage, endorse, goad, incite, instigate, prod, promote, provoke, sanction, spur, support, urge
Antonyms: counter, deter, discourage, frustrate, hinder, hurt, impede, obstruct, resist
Main Entry: advance
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: promote or propose an idea
Synonyms: adduce, allege, ballyhoo, beat the drum for, benefit, boost, cite, encourage, foster, further, hype*, introduce, offer, plug*, present, proffer, puff*, push, serve, splash, spot, submit, suggest, urge, get ink for, lay forward, make a pitch for, put forward, put on the map, set forth, throw spotlight on
Notes: advance means 'steady progress' and stresses effective assisting in hastening a process or bringing about a desired end, while advancement suggests progression that is bigger, more, or beyond normal
Antonyms: hesitate, stop, withdraw
Main Entry: advise
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: offer recommendation
Synonyms: admonish, advocate, caution, charge, commend, counsel, direct, dissuade, encourage, enjoin, exhort, forewarn, guide, instruct, move, opine, point out, preach, prepare, prescribe, prompt, recommend, steer, suggest, tout, update, urge, warn, give a pointer, give a tip, kibitz, level with, put bug in ear, put in two cents
Antonyms: betray, deceive, delude, fool, lie, pretend, trick
Main Entry: advocate
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: support idea or cause publicly
Synonyms: advance, advise, back, bless, bolster, boost*, build up, champion, countenance, defend, encourage, favor, further, go for, go to bat for*, justify, plug*, promote, propose, push, recommend, side, support, tout, uphold, urge, vindicate, argue for, be in corner, brace up, campaign for, get on bandwagon, give a leg up, give a lift, go with, hold with, plead for, plump for*, press for, ride shotgun for, root for, run interference for, say so, speak for, spread around, stump for
Antonyms: assail, attack, criticize, impugn, oppose, protest
Main Entry: aid
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: help, support
Synonyms: abet, alleviate, assist, bail out, befriend, encourage, favor, go to bat for*, lighten, mitigate, promote, relieve, serve, subsidize, sustain, benefact, go with*, lend a hand, open doors for, stick up for, straighten out*
Antonyms: block, hinder, hurt, impede, injure, obstruct
Main Entry: animate
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: bring to life
Synonyms: activate, arouse, cheer, embolden, encourage, energize, enliven, exalt, excite, fire, gladden, hearten, impel, incite, inform, inspire, instigate, invigorate, kindle, move, quicken, revive, rouse, spark, spur, stimulate, stir, urge, vivify, inspirit, liven, make alive, revivify, vitalize
Antonyms: deaden, discourage, kill
Main Entry: applaud
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: clap for; express approval
Synonyms: acclaim, approve, boost, cheer, commend, compliment, encourage, eulogize, extol, glorify, hail, laud, magnify, plug, praise, rave, recommend, root*, give a hand, give ovation, hear it for, kudize
Antonyms: keep silent
Main Entry: approve
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: allow, authorize
Synonyms: accede, accept, accredit, acquiesce, advocate, affirm, agree, assent, authorize, back*, bless*, boost, buy, certify, charter, concur, confirm, consent, dig*, empower, encourage, endorse, establish, groove*, license, maintain, mandate, okay, permit, pronounce, ratify, recommend, sanction, seal, second, sign, support, thumbs up*, uphold, validate, buy into, get behind, give go-ahead, go along with, hats off to, lap up, make law, make valid, push for, sign off on, stump for, subscribe to
Antonyms: disallow, disapprove, invalidate, oppose, refuse, reject
Main Entry: assure
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: convince, relieve doubt
Synonyms: bag*, comfort, encourage, hearten, inspire, persuade, reassure, satisfy, sell*, soothe, bet on, sell on
Main Entry: back
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: support
Synonyms: abet, abide by, advocate, ally, angel*, assist, bankroll, boost, champion, countenance, encourage, endorse, favor, finance, go to bat for*, sanction, second, sponsor, stake, subsidize, sustain, underwrite, uphold, give a boost, give a leg up, give a lift, grubstake, side with, stand behind, stick by, stick up for
Antonyms: discourage, dissuade
Main Entry: befriend
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: make social acquaintance; support
Synonyms: advise, aid, assist, back, benefit, buddy up, case out, come on to, cotton to, encourage, favor, get chummy with, get in with, help, hit it off*, patronize, side with, stand by, sustain, take under one's wing, take up with, uphold, welcome
Antonyms: ignore, neglect
Main Entry: boost
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: further, improve
Synonyms: advance, advertise, assist, encourage, foster, inspire, plug, praise, promote, push, support, sustain
Antonyms: discourage, halt, hinder, hurt, prevent, undermine
Main Entry: brighten
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: make happy, feel better
Synonyms: buck up, cheer, cheer up, clear up, encourage, enliven, gladden, hearten, improve, look up, perk up, become cheerful, buoy up
Antonyms: depress, upset
Main Entry: buoy (up)
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: make light, encourage
Synonyms: bolster, boost, buck up, cheer, cheer up, encourage, hearten, lift, prop, raise, support, sustain, uphold, keep afloat
Antonyms: bring down, depress
Main Entry: cheer
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: make someone feel happier
Synonyms: animate, brighten, buck up*, buoy, comfort, console, elate, elevate, embolden, encourage, enliven, exhilarate, gladden, hearten, help, incite, perk up, pick up, solace, steel, strengthen, uplift, warm, brace up, give a lift, inspirit, let the sun shine in, put on cloud nine, put on top of the world, snap out of it, upraise
Antonyms: bring down, depress, dishearten, make unhappy
Main Entry: cherish
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: care about deeply
Synonyms: admire, adore, appreciate, clasp, coddle, comfort, cosset, cultivate, defend, dote on, embrace, encourage, enshrine, entertain, fancy, fondle, foster, guard, harbor, honor, hug, idolize, like, love, nourish, nurse, nurture, pet, preserve, prize, revere, reverence, safeguard, shelter, shield, support, sustain, treasure, value, venerate, worship, apprize, care for, cleave to, cling to, hold dear, hold in high esteem
Antonyms: abandon, denounce, forsake, renounce, not care
Main Entry: comfort
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: make to feel better
Synonyms: abate, aid, allay, alleviate, ameliorate, assist, assuage, bolster, buck up*, calm, cheer, compose, condole, confirm, console, delight, divert, ease, encourage, enliven, free, gladden, hearten, help, invigorate, mitigate, nourish, reassure, refresh, relieve, remedy, revive, salve, soften, solace, soothe, strengthen, stroke, succor, support, sustain, sympathize, uphold, commiserate with, grant respite, inspirit, lighten burden, make well, put at ease, quiet fears, reanimate, revitalize, upraise
Antonyms: aggravate, annoy, bother, distress, exasperate, hurt, irritate, provoke, torment, torture, trouble, vex
Main Entry: console
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: relieve, comfort
Synonyms: animate, assuage, buck up*, calm, cheer, encourage, gladden, lift, solace, soothe, tranquilize, condole with, express sympathy, inspirit, untrouble, upraise
Antonyms: agitate, annoy, antagonize, depress, discourage, disturb, hurt, sadden, trouble, upset, dispirit
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