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

In IconArrows pointing outwards Glassdoor Overall, health care along with private education jobs have propped up the labor economy for some time. —Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 26 Nov. 2025

While most of us on the plane were in this same unexpected predicament, a passenger nearby didn't seem to be sharing in our misery thanks to a compact gadget that propped up their phone to the perfect viewing height. —Annita Katee, Travel + Leisure, 25 Nov. 2025

Claire was propped up against the headboard and talking on the phone. —Literary Hub, 25 Nov. 2025

Washington has historically propped up defense in Europe, providing many of the most costly capabilities. —MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for prop up

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