1
as in to marry
to give in marriage a couple eager to espouse their eldest daughter

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2
as in to propose
to take as a spouse heeded his father's advice to espouse someone with whom he had common interests

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3

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb espouse differ from other similar words?

The words adopt and embrace are common synonyms of espouse. While all three words mean "to take an opinion, policy, or practice as one's own," espouse adds an implication of close attachment to a cause and a sharing of its fortunes.

espoused the cause of women's rights

In what contexts can adopt take the place of espouse?

The words adopt and espouse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, adopt implies accepting something created by another or foreign to one's nature.

forced to adopt new policies

When might embrace be a better fit than espouse?

The synonyms embrace and espouse are sometimes interchangeable, but embrace implies a ready or happy acceptance.

embraced the customs of their new homeland

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of espouse Conservatives have been decrying identity politics for years, and liberals have been just as vigorously espousing them as key to winning races. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Twin Cities, 26 Sep. 2025 The actress, who rose to fame for her role as Hermione Granger across the series' eight movies, had previously spoken out in support of trans rights after Rowling first began espousing anti-trans rhetoric in 2019. Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2025 Conservatives have been decrying identity politics for years, and liberals have been just as vigorously espousing them as key to winning races. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 21 Sep. 2025 There’s nothing new about humans seeking to optimize their health and extend their lives (Hippocrates espoused cold baths; Benjamin Franklin touted vegetarianism), but the medium has changed. Harvard Business Review, 20 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for espouse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for espouse
Verb
  • The two married in 1965 but divorced a decade later.
    Alex Ritman, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025
  • When the south end natives randomly reconnected about five years ago at the radio station where Steiger worked, Tingle, who has been married twice and lived more than half a century as a straight man, was just coming to terms with being gay.
    Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Once again, in adopting a currency board, a country keeps its own currency and central bank.
    Shawn Tully, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
  • The nation’s highest court also adopted an ethics code to guide the justices after fierce criticism over undisclosed gifts, trips and other scandals, although there is no real means of enforcing either.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But that’s exactly what the 48-year-old CEO advises that Gen Zers today, who are struggling to get a footing and even getting fired months into new roles, should embrace.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Such precipitous emotional hurdles are just the right height for television, and co-showrunners Andy Parker and Jennifer Cecil embrace the self-doubting turmoil of Cameron’s arduous coming-of-age arc.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Dalio’s debt-cycle warning Dalio has spent decades studying how countries borrow, boom, and then buckle under the weight of their obligations.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
  • What many fans may not know is that this was all borrowed from a classic painting.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Espouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espouse. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.

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