encourage

Encourage is a verb that means to provide someone with support, confidence, or motivation to do something, or to promote progress, development, or action. It can involve praise, reassurance, advice, practical help, or creating favorable conditions, and it is often used to describe actions that increase a person’s willingness or ability to undertake a task. The word comes from Old French encourager, from en- 'put into' or 'make' + corage 'courage', ultimately from Latin cor, cord- meaning heart.

Common usage includes encouraging someone to try a new skill, encouraging a team to persist, or encouraging investment and reform through policy or messaging. The related noun is encouragement; the adjective encouraging; the adverb encouragingly.

Examples include: The coach encouraged the players to keep practicing. The teacher encouraged questions and exploration. Government programs encourage innovation by reducing barriers.

In social and educational contexts, encouragement can boost motivation, self-efficacy, and persistence, but excessive or insincere praise can backfire by undermining intrinsic motivation or creating dependence, so it is often balanced with constructive feedback and autonomy-supportive approaches.

Related terms include embolden, hearten, spur, motivate, and inspire, while the opposite meaning is discourage. Encouragement is commonly discussed in education, psychology, management, and community development as a factor that can foster resilience and growth.