encouraging | Definition of encouraging

Synonyms and Antonyms of encouraging

1 having qualities which inspire hope

encouraging signs that the economy is improving

Synonyms of encouraging

auspicious, bright, fair, golden, heartening, hopeful, likely, optimistic, promising, propitious, rose-colored, roseate, rosy, upbeat

Words Related to encouraging

cheering, comforting, reassuring, soothing

assured, confident, decisive, doubtless, positive, sure, unhesitating

beamish, bullish, eupeptic

favorable, good

Near Antonyms of encouraging

cheerless, comfortless

doubtful, dubious, uncertain

bearish, grim, negative, unfavorable

funereal, glum, gray (also grey), miserable, wretched

Antonyms of encouraging

bleak, dark, depressing, desperate, discouraging, disheartening, dismal, downbeat, dreary, gloomy, hopeless, inauspicious, pessimistic, unencouraging, unlikely, unpromising, unpropitious

2 making one feel good inside

the encouraging story of a young girl who overcame great social and physical obstacles to become an outstanding athlete

Synonyms of encouraging

cheering, comforting, fulfilling, gladdening, gratifying, heartening, heartwarming, rewarding, satisfying

Words Related to encouraging

affecting, inspiring, inspiriting, moving, poignant, stirring, touching

edifying, elevating, uplifting

sympathetic, tender

kind, kindly, loving, warm

animating, enlivening, exciting, exhilarating, invigorating, rousing, stimulating, thrilling

pleasing, pleasurable, welcoming

Near Antonyms of encouraging

cheerless, disappointing, disgruntling, displeasing, dissatisfying, heartbreaking, heartrending, saddening

discomforting, disconcerting, dismaying, distressing, disturbing, upsetting

cold, unfeeling, unfriendly, unkind, unloving, unpleasant

Antonyms of encouraging

demoralizing, depressing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting

3 pointing toward a happy outcome

we're off to an encouraging start on this project

Synonyms of encouraging

auspicious, bright, favorable, golden, heartening, hopeful, promising, propitious

Words Related to encouraging

fortunate, fortuitous, happy, lucky, providential

advantageous, beneficial, profitable, prosperous, salutary

Near Antonyms of encouraging

unfortunate, unhappy, unlucky

calamitous, catastrophic, disastrous, fatal, ruinous

baleful, dark, dire, direful, doomy, foreboding, gloomy, ill, ill-boding, menacing, minatory, ominous, portentous, sinister, threatening