To encourage someone means to give them confidence, support, or hope that helps them keep trying or believe they can succeed. When a coach encourages her team at halftime, she reminds them of their strengths and helps them believe they can still win. When your parents encourage you to keep practicing piano even though a piece seems impossibly hard, they're helping you find the courage to persist.

The word comes from putting courage into someone. Sometimes encouragement means cheering someone on: “You can do it!” Other times it means quietly believing in someone when they doubt themselves. A teacher might encourage a struggling reader by pointing out how much progress they've already made.

You can also encourage actions or situations. Leaving cookies on the counter encourages people to eat them. Good weather encourages outdoor play. In this sense, encourage means to make something more likely to happen.

Notice that encouraging someone is different from pressuring them or doing the work for them. Real encouragement helps people find their own strength and motivation. When someone says “I felt encouraged by what you said,” they mean your words helped them feel braver or more hopeful about facing whatever challenge lies ahead.