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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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.

