prop up
phrasal verb
propped up; propping up; props up
1
: to stop (something) from falling or slipping by placing something under or against it
We propped up the beams with long boards.
propped the plant stems up
2
: to give help, encouragement, or support to (someone)
His faith propped him up in times of crisis.
Examples of prop up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Since Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Xi has propped up his Russian counterpart in a variety of crucial ways.
—
Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
But claims that Beijing uses state subsidies to prop up its manufacturing sector, and then dumps the excess surplus overseas, are irking executives in China’s car sector.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 14 May 2024
The gorgeous flowers had been placed in a square glass vase on a coffee table, and what appeared to be an envelope that had come with the flowers was propped up against them.
—Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 11 May 2024
In Foreign Affairs, Rhodium’s Daniel Rosen and Logan Wright contend those arguments miss the larger point: China’s economy has stalled, and instead of prioritizing domestic demand, Beijing continues to prop up Chinese companies and encourage them to ship excess production overseas.
—Clay Chandler, Fortune, 10 May 2024
Omaha’s history as a soccer city resembles St. Louis in a lesser way, having long been propped up by the collegiate and high school soccer scene in the absence of a professional team.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2024
Cushy upholstered banquettes supply sofa-style seating along the perimeter; a commodious ottoman props up multiple feet.
—Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 May 2024
Yet while that propped up payrolls at the start of the year, when businesses normally cut holiday workers, a scarcity of layoffs is likely becoming a less prominent factor, Goldman says.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 3 May 2024
In that way the trade was reminiscent of Babe Ruth’s sale from the Red Sox to the Yankees in 1920, one Boston owner Harry Frazee made to prop up his failing theater interests.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
But claims that Beijing uses state subsidies to prop up its manufacturing sector, and then dumps the excess surplus overseas, are irking executives in China’s car sector.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 14 May 2024
The gorgeous flowers had been placed in a square glass vase on a coffee table, and what appeared to be an envelope that had come with the flowers was propped up against them.
—Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 11 May 2024
In Foreign Affairs, Rhodium’s Daniel Rosen and Logan Wright contend those arguments miss the larger point: China’s economy has stalled, and instead of prioritizing domestic demand, Beijing continues to prop up Chinese companies and encourage them to ship excess production overseas.
—Clay Chandler, Fortune, 10 May 2024
Omaha’s history as a soccer city resembles St. Louis in a lesser way, having long been propped up by the collegiate and high school soccer scene in the absence of a professional team.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2024
Cushy upholstered banquettes supply sofa-style seating along the perimeter; a commodious ottoman props up multiple feet.
—Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 May 2024
Yet while that propped up payrolls at the start of the year, when businesses normally cut holiday workers, a scarcity of layoffs is likely becoming a less prominent factor, Goldman says.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 3 May 2024
In that way the trade was reminiscent of Babe Ruth’s sale from the Red Sox to the Yankees in 1920, one Boston owner Harry Frazee made to prop up his failing theater interests.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prop up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near prop up
Cite this Entry
“Prop up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prop%20up. Accessed 18 May. 2024.
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