# encouraging

/ɛnˈkɝɪdʒɪŋ/ (US) · /ɛnkˈʌɹɪdʒɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/encouraging
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. giving hope

adjective · CEFR B1

giving you hope or confidence that something good will happen.

For teachers: providing hope, confidence, or a sense of auspiciousness regarding future outcomes.

- The doctor gave us some encouraging news about my grandfather's health.
- The initial quarterly results were highly encouraging, suggesting that the new marketing strategy was finally gaining traction in the European market.

### 2. supportive

adjective · CEFR B1

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

For teachers: acting to support or motivate others through positive reinforcement.

- My teacher was very encouraging when I was struggling with my essay.
- A more encouraging management style often leads to higher employee retention than a purely results-driven approach.

### 3. the act of supporting

verb · CEFR B1

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

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

- By encouraging her students to speak, the teacher helped them gain confidence.
- Encouraging local investment has become a primary objective for the regional council this fiscal year.

## Examples

- The doctor gave me some encouraging news about my health.
- The teacher wrote an encouraging note on the student's essay to help build their confidence for the final exam.
- Despite the initial setbacks, the preliminary sales figures for the new product line are highly encouraging, suggesting a strong market appetite for sustainable alternatives.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.