Word family noun encouragement ≠ discouragement adjective encouraged ≠ discouraged encouraging ≠ discouraging verb encourage ≠ discourage adverb encouragingly ≠ discouragingly
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishencouragementen‧cour‧age‧ment /ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒmənt $ ɪnˈkɜː-/ ●●○ noun [uncountable] when you encourage someone or something, or the things that encourage them OPP discouragement With encouragement, Sally is starting to play with the other children. words of encouragementencouragement to do something She needed no encouragement to continue (=did not need any encouragement).COLLOCATIONSverbsgive somebody encouragementMy father always gave us a lot of encouragement.offer encouragementMy parents offered encouragement and support.get encouragement (=be given encouragement)She got a lot of encouragement from her friends.take/draw encouragement from somethingWe drew encouragement from the letters we received from well-wishers.need encouragementThese kids just need some encouragement, that's all.adjectivespositive encouragement (=encouraging someone by saying positive things)It's important to balance punishment with positive encouragement.active encouragement (=taking action as well as talking)The scheme was set up with the active encouragement of the local authority.considerable/great encouragementWe took considerable encouragement from our early success.phraseswords of encouragement (=the things you say to someone as encouragement)The rest of the team shouted out words of encouragement. Examples from the Corpus
encouragement• Nor was official support and encouragement limited to Catholic organisations.• But he kept your secret, Pamela, and would not own that you gave any encouragement to his addresses.• Stephen nodded to him in encouragement.• I had the brigade commander over-head offering me encouragement over the radio.• Children need lots of encouragement when they're learning new things.• "But you're doing a great job, " he added by way of encouragement.• After his speech, he shook hands and offered words of encouragement to people in the crowd.• Provided their behaviour was sportsmanlike and safe, oarsmen found only encouragement and humour from a President who was always among them.• His family knew nothing of education and so gave him no support or encouragement, still less active aid.• West Indies can take encouragement from the match.• The encouragement given made for a great rapport with the class and gave a stimulus to improve the lectures.words of encouragement• Barbara was on her feet in a second, pushing her head forward and speaking brisk words of encouragement.• A popular grass-roots councilwoman gives a few words of encouragement to much applause.• He would wave his good arm, share a few words of encouragement, and then be wheeled off the stage again.• Give words of encouragement, and do not take away the food immediately if it is ignored.• On arrival at the hospital, however, she relaxed a little, even managing a few lighthearted words of encouragement.• As I did this, some of the team began to shout out words of encouragement.• She shouted words of encouragement and settled in for the fight.• People came in and out, but he didn't really notice them or their words of encouragement. 