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

Wild Horse Nine lives or dies by the Mutt & Jeff chemistry of its leads, both of whom keep the proceedings propped up in between plot points and temporary pacing lulls. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2026

At one of the church entrances, two Con Ed trucks propped up an American flag and a flag for Local 1-2, the Utility Workers Union of America. — Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 6 Nov. 2026

The Times reported that Cybertruck sales were significantly propped up by purchases from Musk’s other companies, including SpaceX, xAI and Neuralink. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

But spending by wealthier households flush with stock market gains has been propping up the economy. — Lauren Kaori Gurley, Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2026

Rhymes for prop up

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