prop up

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

Lower-ticket maintenance items have held steadier in sales, which can help to prop up the top line, but the per-store productivity weakened even where top-line sales looked flat, Graff said. — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026

The two carriers continue to prop up freight rates with extreme surcharges amid the regional pressures. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026

Raw-milk consumption was a growing hazard, and their state, like others, was teeming with black-market dairies, propped up by consumer demand fueled by misinformation. — CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

Setup is more involved than with a handheld device, but panels are versatile enough to prop up beside a desk during seated work, spreading the cost across multiple household needs. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for prop up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup