v. t. | 1. | To give courage to; to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope; to raise, or to increase, the confidence of; to animate; enhearten; to incite; to help forward; - the opposite of |
Verb | 1. | encourage - contribute to the progress or growth of; "I am promoting the use of computers in the classroom" |
2. | encourage - inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to Antonyms: discourage - deprive of courage or hope; take away hope from; cause to feel discouraged | |
3. | encourage - spur on; "His financial success encouraged him to look for a wife" |