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Commit to Learning the History of Espouse
As you might guess, the words espouse and spouse are hitched, both coming from the Latin verb spondēre, meaning “to promise” or “to betroth.” In fact, the two were once completely interchangeable, with each serving as a noun meaning “a newly married person” or “a husband or wife” and also as a verb meaning “to marry.” Their semantic separation began when the noun espouse fell out of use. Nowadays, espouse is most often encountered as a verb used in the figuratively extended sense “to commit to and support as a cause.”
Examples of espouse in a Sentence
Pat Maio, Oc Register, 9 May 2025
In the ensuing decades, Buffett has consistently espoused the same philosophy.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 6 May 2025
In the era of confrontational, hard-line politics espoused by both the Freedom Caucus and President Trump, the group’s name brand and network of influence can be a major boost to candidates.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 28 Apr. 2025
And Loomer has espoused numerous conspiracy theories, including that the Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington were an inside job orchestrated by the U.S. government.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for espouse
Cite this Entry
“Espouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/espouse. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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