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
Iranian support for terrorism also benefited from Hamas’s Qatari financing, which propped up the group’s tenure as the government of Gaza.
—
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 26 June 2025
But most people who are at high risk of H.I.V. infection live in countries that have long relied on governments such as the U.S. to prop up their limited investments in health care.
—Jon Cohen, New Yorker, 24 June 2025
One path leads backward toward pollution-intensive business as usual propping up obsolete processes.
—Andres Clarens, The Conversation, 23 June 2025
The impoverished duke needs Gladys' dowry to prop up his family's estate, and Bertha may have promised him a bit too much without informing George or taking Gladys' wishes into account.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for prop up
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Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 26 June 2025
But most people who are at high risk of H.I.V. infection live in countries that have long relied on governments such as the U.S. to prop up their limited investments in health care.
—Jon Cohen, New Yorker, 24 June 2025
One path leads backward toward pollution-intensive business as usual propping up obsolete processes.
—Andres Clarens, The Conversation, 23 June 2025
The impoverished duke needs Gladys' dowry to prop up his family's estate, and Bertha may have promised him a bit too much without informing George or taking Gladys' wishes into account.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for prop up
Cite this Entry
“Prop up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prop%20up. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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