Adjective encouraging has 3 senses
  1. encouraging - giving courage or confidence or hope; "encouraging advances in medical research"
    Antonyms:
    discouraging, daunting, intimidating, demoralizing, demoralising, disheartening, dispiriting, frustrating, unencouraging
  2. encouraging, supporting - furnishing support and encouragement; "the anxious child needs supporting and accepting treatment from the teacher"
    Antonym: unsupportive (indirect, via supportive)
  3. auspicious, encouraging, favorable, favourable, lucky, prosperous - tending to favor or bring good luck; "miracles are auspicious accidents"; "encouraging omens"; "a favorable time to ask for a raise"; "lucky stars"; "a prosperous moment to make a decision"
    Antonym: unpropitious (indirect, via propitious)
,Verb encourage has 3 senses
  1. promote, advance, boost, further, encourage - contribute to the progress or growth of; "I am promoting the use of computers in the classroom"
    --1 is one way to support, back up
    Derived form: noun encouragement2
    Sample sentence:
    They encourage him to write the letter
  2. encourage - inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to
    --2 is one way to
    inspire, animate, invigorate, enliven, exalt
    Antonyms: discourage
    Derived form: noun encouragement3
    Sample sentence:
    The good news will encourage her
  3. encourage - spur on; "His financial success encouraged him to look for a wife"
    --3 is one way to
    induce, stimulate, cause, have, get, make
    Sample sentence:
    They encourage him to write the letter
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