English Reference
adjective · verb

encouraging

adj. · v.
US /ɛnˈkɝɪdʒɪŋ/ UK /ɛnkˈʌɹɪdʒɪŋ/ en·cour·ag·ing

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    adj.giving you hope or confidence that something good will happen.

    adj.providing hope, confidence, or a sense of auspiciousness regarding future outcomes.

    Simple

    The doctor gave us some encouraging news about my grandfather's health.

    In context

    The initial quarterly results were highly encouraging, suggesting that the new marketing strategy was finally gaining traction in the European market.

    promisinghearteninghopeful
  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    adj.showing support and telling someone they are doing a good job.

    adj.acting to support or motivate others through positive reinforcement.

    Simple

    My teacher was very encouraging when I was struggling with my essay.

    In context

    A more encouraging management style often leads to higher employee retention than a purely results-driven approach.

    criticalunsupportive
  3. 03 B1 Intermediate

    v.the '-ing' form of the verb 'encourage', used to describe the act of giving support.

    v.the present participle or gerund of 'encourage', used to describe the ongoing action of providing motivation or support.

    Simple

    By encouraging her students to speak, the teacher helped them gain confidence.

    In context

    Encouraging local investment has become a primary objective for the regional council this fiscal year.

Usage encouraging people

I followed relevant content, including several of the Haraga profiles, and soon my feed was swamped with videos and content encouraging travel to Ceuta.

BBC News· 14 Aug 2026

The problem is addiction and when someone has an addiction, if there are inducements that are encouraging that addiction, that’s a bad thing.

The Guardian· 14 Aug 2026
This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Common
Updated