Synonyms of support

support 1 of 2

noun

1

as in reinforcement

a structure that holds up or serves as a foundation for something else

if you don't add a couple more supports to that tower of blocks, it's going to fall down

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reinforcement
• shore
• mounting
• brace
• pillar
• mount
• foundation
• prop
• stay
• spur
• underpinning
• buttress
• crutch
• column
• bracket
• truss
• arch
• stand
• shoring
• bolster
• cantilever
• pedestal
• frame
• stake
• bearing
• peg
• girder
• base
• pilaster
• post
• strut
• stilt
• stanchion

2

as in assistance

an act or instance of helping

the team's victory owes a lot to Joe's strong support in left field

Synonyms & Similar Words

• assistance
• assist
• help
• boost
• encouragement
• aid
• lift
• advice
• backing
• hand
• guidance
• helping hand
• service
• promotion
• leg up
• facilitation
• sponsorship
• advancement
• kindness
• patronage
• abetment
• forwarding
• attention
• nurturance
• furtherance
• mentoring
• attendance
• care
• counsel
• furthering
• relief
• benefaction
• favor
• beneficence
• charity
• hand-holding
• succor
• philanthropy
• assuagement
• palliation

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• interference
• restraint
• inhibition
• obstruction
• hindrance
• repression
• constraint
• frustration
• deterrence
• discouragement

support

2 of 2

verb

sə-ˈpȯrt 

1

as in to advocate

to promote the interests or cause of

though childless themselves, they support the local schools both by volunteering and by fiercely opposing funding cuts

Synonyms & Similar Words

• advocate
• endorse
• help
• embrace
• back
• assist
• adopt
• indorse
• aid
• champion
• patronize
• stand up for
• go in for
• stick up for
• reinforce
• hold a brief for
• plump (for)
• plunk (for)
• bolster
• go to bat for
• plonk (for)
• save
• reenforce
• forward
• rescue
• further
• abet
• buttress
• espouse
• preach
• boost
• side (with)
• second
• advance
• prop (up)
• backstop
• bail out
• plug
• talk up
• deliver

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• oppose
• interfere
• thwart
• frustrate
• sabotage
• fail
• let down
• foil
• disappoint
• baffle
• desert

2

as in to maintain

to pay the living expenses of

a young widow supporting a sick mother as well as two small children on a teacher's salary

Synonyms & Similar Words

• maintain
• keep
• provide (for)
• fund
• finance
• take care of
• sponsor
• underwrite
• foot the bill (for)
• patronize
• set up
• stake

3

as in to sustain

to hold up or serve as a foundation for

pillars supporting the bridge

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sustain
• carry
• bolster
• stay
• uphold
• underpin
• brace
• buttress
• bear
• undergird
• shore (up)
• steady
• prop (up)
• underlie
• truss

4

as in to reinforce

to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea)

studies that support the claim that red wine drinkers have a reduced risk of coronary disease and cancer

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reinforce
• bolster
• prove
• corroborate
• confirm
• reenforce
• buttress
• back
• establish
• verify
• substantiate
• shore (up)
• validate
• affirm
• avouch

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• undermine
• weaken
• undercut

5

as in to justify

to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections

we support the students' right to speak out on local issues that affect them

Synonyms & Similar Words

• justify
• defend
• maintain
• uphold
• advocate
• affirm
• assert
• stick up for
• proclaim
• confirm
• stand up for
• discuss
• insist
• plead
• vindicate
• emphasize
• state
• protest
• champion
• claim
• contend
• espouse
• argue
• debate
• profess
• underscore
• aver
• underline
• warrant
• stress
• avow
• avouch

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• withdraw
• abandon
• take back
• retract
• forsake
• reverse
• switch
• refute
• recant
• abjure
• disprove
• rebut
• controvert

6

as in to verify

to give evidence or testimony to the truth or factualness of

new evidence supports the original researchers' unexpected conclusions

Synonyms & Similar Words

• verify
• confirm
• argue
• validate
• corroborate
• bear out
• prove
• vindicate
• authenticate
• certify
• demonstrate
• attest
• reinforce
• substantiate
• testify (to)
• witness
• affirm
• establish
• guarantee
• document
• vouch (for)
• assert
• declare
• back (up)
• reenforce
• profess
• warrant
• aver
• avow
• avouch

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• refute
• disprove
• rebut
• contradict
• deny
• challenge
• question
• dispute
• contest
• gainsay
• disavow
• disclaim

7

as in to assist

to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end

sent reinforcements to support the troops deployed overseas

Synonyms & Similar Words

• assist
• aid
• help
• reinforce
• back
• facilitate
• abet
• promote
• bolster
• encourage
• save
• bear a hand
• endorse
• backstop
• guide
• forward
• prop (up)
• sponsor
• comfort
• benefit
• foster
• further
• sustain
• launch
• rescue
• serve
• attend
• to stand one in good stead
• indorse
• patronize
• advance
• champion
• minister (to)
• succor
• ease
• advise
• mentor
• buttress
• reenforce
• boost
• nurture
• counsel
• care (for)
• profit
• bail out
• favor
• oblige
• hearten
• deliver
• embolden

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hinder
• oppose
• restrain
• impede
• inhibit
• interfere
• bar
• hamper
• block
• hold back
• constrain
• obstruct
• thwart
• fail
• balk
• sabotage
• handicap
• frustrate
• strangle
• discourage
• let down
• inconvenience
• baffle
• foil
• disappoint
• desert
• hurt
• retard
• stifle
• harm
• repress
• damage
• injure
• stunt
• dishearten
• straiten

8

as in to tolerate

to put up with (something painful or difficult)

he simply cannot support the thought of having to go on living without his beloved wife at his side

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tolerate
• stand
• accept
• handle
• endure
• take
• sustain
• bear
• meet
• stomach
• absorb
• stand for
• stick out
• abide
• live with
• wear
• lump (it)
• countenance
• swallow
• hack
• go
• sweat out
• brook
• tough it out
• allow
• permit
• pocket
• suffer
• bide
• respect
• reconcile (to)
• agree (with or to)
• submit (to)
• consent (to)
• yield (to)
• acquiesce
• assent (to)
• capitulate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• refuse
• reject
• dismiss
• oppose
• decline
• fight
• resist
• repudiate
• combat
• avoid
• escape
• contest
• turn down
• spurn
• evade
• miss
• circumvent
• bypass
• refrain (from)
• elude
• dodge
• abstain (from)
• forbear

Synonym Chooser

How is the word support different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of support are advocate, back, champion, and uphold. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.

supports waterfront development

When could advocate be used to replace support?

While in some cases nearly identical to support, advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

Where would back be a reasonable alternative to support?

In some situations, the words back and support are roughly equivalent. However, back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.

refusing to back the call for sanctions

When can champion be used instead of support?

The words champion and support are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.

championed the rights of children

When is it sensible to use uphold instead of support?

While the synonyms uphold and support are close in meaning, uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.

upheld the legitimacy of the military action

Examples of support in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But his proposal to eliminate the personal income tax would require support from both houses of Congress. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2024

He’s worked in printing, imaging, sales, system operations roles, and customer support. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2024

Verb

For the past two decades, the Teamsters have supported every major Democratic presidential candidate. —Sara Chernikoff, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2024

At the time, Chavarria was supporting Latino challenger Eloise Gómez Reyes against Black incumbent Cheryl Brown in a race for an Inland Empire state Assembly seat. —Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024