encouragement

encouragement — noun

1. Something that you say or do in order to help another person feel more confident

1.nounB1
Definition

Something that you say or do in order to help another person feel more confident and willing to try or continue doing something.

Example

Obi's parents gave him a lot of encouragement when he started learning the guitar.

collocation: 'gave ... encouragement'

The teacher's encouragement helped Linh feel more confident about giving her presentation in class.

Common collocations
  • give (someone) encouragement
  • offer encouragement
  • need encouragement
  • a word of encouragement
  • a shout of encouragement
  • a source of encouragement
  • find encouragement (in something)
  • take encouragement (from something)
Synonyms
  • support

    Broader term — includes practical help as well as emotional backing; more general than encouragement

  • reassurance

    Focuses on calming fears and relieving doubt, whereas encouragement pushes someone forward

  • motivation

    Often refers to the inner drive a person feels; encouragement is the external act that feeds motivation

Antonyms
  • discouragement

    Words or behaviour that reduce someone's confidence or willingness to try

Usage Note

Usually uncountable ('The children need encouragement'), but countable in the fixed expression 'a word of encouragement' and similar patterns such as 'a source of encouragement'.

Common Mistakes

My teacher gave me many encouragements.
My teacher gave me a lot of encouragement.
Encouragement is uncountable in this sense; use 'a lot of', 'plenty of', or 'a great deal of' rather than 'many'.
I need an encouragement from my parents.
I need some encouragement from my parents.' or ✅ 'I need a word of encouragement from my parents.
Do not use the indefinite article 'a/an' directly before 'encouragement'.

2. Support, conditions, or incentives that help a particular activity, habit, or pr

2.nounB2
Definition

Support, conditions, or incentives that help a particular activity, habit, or process to develop, grow, or become more likely.

Example

Yumi's painting sold quickly, which was encouragement for her to start a new series.

pattern: 'was encouragement for [someone] to [do something]'

The new law provides encouragement for businesses to invest in renewable energy.

collocation: 'provides encouragement for'

Common collocations
  • provide encouragement (for something)
  • serve as encouragement
  • tax encouragement
  • economic encouragement
  • act as encouragement
  • offer encouragement (for something to happen)
  • give encouragement (to an activity)
Synonyms
  • incentive

    More concrete — refers to a specific reward or benefit designed to encourage action; often used in economics or business

  • stimulus

    Suggests an outside force that provokes activity; more formal and often used in economic or scientific contexts

  • promotion

    Usually involves active efforts or campaigns to make something succeed, rather than just enabling conditions

Antonyms
  • deterrent

    Something that discourages or prevents an activity from happening

Usage Note

Typically uncountable. Often found in contexts involving policy, economics, nature, or business, where conditions or incentives favour the growth of something. Frequently followed by 'for' + noun phrase or 'to' + infinitive.

Common Mistakes

The policy gave many encouragements to small businesses.
The policy gave encouragement to small businesses.
Even when referring to multiple incentives, encouragement remains uncountable.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Encouragement focuses on words or actions that build someone's confidence or willingness to act. Support is a broader term that includes emotional backing as well as practical help — you can support someone financially or logistically, which goes beyond what encouragement covers. Reassurance specifically targets fear or doubt — it tells someone 'everything will be all right' — whereas encouragement pushes someone forward with 'you can do this.' Motivation is more internal: the drive or desire a person feels. Encouragement from others can boost motivation, but the two are not the same. Backing implies active endorsement, often in a public or official way, such as financial backing for a project. Example: A coach gives encouragement before a match ('You've trained hard — go for it!'), while a sponsor provides backing through funding.

support ↗reassurancemotivation ↗backing ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • plenty of encouragement
  • a lack of encouragement
  • a great deal of encouragement
  • words of encouragement

Prepositions

  • encouragement from
  • encouragement for
  • without encouragement
  • as encouragement

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishModern English

Encouragement came into Middle English from Old French 'encoragement', which was formed from 'encoragier' — the prefix 'en-' meaning 'to cause to be' plus 'corage' meaning 'heart, spirit, or courage.' So the original idea was literally 'to put heart into someone,' which is still at the core of the word's meaning today.