How to Pronounce Encourage

To pronounce "encourage", say ENC-our-ag-e — 4 syllables, IPA /ɛnˈkɝɪdʒ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

encourage

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Accent

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Speed

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4

Syllables

9

Letters

/ɛnˈkɝɪdʒ/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/ɛnkˈʌɹɪdʒ/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “encourage”

"encourage" has 4 syllables: enc-our-ag-e. It rhymes with courage and discourage, if that helps it stick.

What does encourage mean?

verb

  1. To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.

    “I encouraged him during his race.”

  2. To spur on, strongly recommend.

    “We encourage the use of bicycles in the town centre.”

Synonyms

bieldembolden

Antonyms

becouragediscourage

Hear “encourage” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with encourage

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

couragediscouragestirrage

Related words

furtheradvancepromoteboostmotivatingheartendriveencouragement

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "encourage"?▾

"Encourage" has 4 syllables: enc · our · ag · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "encourage"?▾

The IPA transcription of "encourage" is /ɛnˈkɝɪdʒ/.

What does "encourage" mean?▾

Encourage: To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.

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