supply

verb

sup·ply | \ sə-ˈplī

supplied; supplying

Definition of supply

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to add as a supplement

2 [ Middle French souploier, alteration of soupplier ]

a : to provide for : satisfy laws by which the material wants of men are supplied — Bulletin of Bates College

b : to make available for use : provide supplied the necessary funds

c : to satisfy the needs or wishes of

d : to furnish (organs, tissues, or cells) with a vital element (such as blood or nerve fibers)

3 : to substitute for another in specifically : to serve as a supply in (a church or pulpit)

intransitive verb

: to serve as a supply or substitute

supply

noun

plural supplies

Definition of supply (Entry 2 of 2)

1 obsolete : assistance, succor

2a obsolete : reinforcements —often used in plural

b : a member of the clergy filling a vacant pulpit temporarily

c : the quantity or amount (as of a commodity) needed or available beer was in short supply in that hot weather— Nevil Shute

d : provisions, stores —usually used in plural

3 : the act or process of filling a want or need engaged in the supply of raw materials to industry

4 : the quantities of goods or services offered for sale at a particular time or at one price

5 : something that maintains or constitutes a supply

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Examples of supply in a Sentence

Verb

The company supplied the necessary money. You'll have to supply your own food.

Noun

adequate supplies of fresh water He bought a month's supply of cigarettes. They took a month's worth of supplies on the camping trip. The town is in need of basic medical supplies. a store that sells art supplies The state is trying to disrupt the supply of illegal drugs. The storm interrupted the town's electricity supply.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

On June 29, shrapnel from exploding shells damaged water pipelines near the town of Horlivka, along the Siverski Donets-Donbass channel, which supplies water to more than 3 million people on both sides of the contact line, UNICEF said. — Radina Gigova, CNN, "Fighting in Ukraine threatens water supply for 3.2 million," 3 July 2019 Ryan will also supply you with roughly 1,783 very good reasons to stay single, including the inspiring life of Celine Dion and one 95-year-old Holocaust survivor. — Ariana Romero, refinery29.com, "These Are The New Netflix Treats For July 4th Weekend —Besides Stranger Things," 2 July 2019 Khoshi and Sulaiman used the OfferUp app to recruit more than a dozen regular boosters, who supplied them with about 2,000 cans a month of Enfamil and Similac brands of baby formula, Tyler said. — , Arizona Republic, azcentral, "Chandler couple, 14 others arrested in stolen baby formula investigation," 12 June 2019 The Gulf of Mexico supplies hundreds of millions of commercial fish and generates tens of billions of dollars in revenue, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service. — Sarah Kaplan, Twin Cities, "‘A major punch in the gut’: Midwest rains projected to create Gulf dead zone," 11 June 2019 The Gulf of Mexico supplies hundreds of millions of commercial fish and generates tens of billions of dollars in revenue, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service. — The Washington Post, The Mercury News, "Midwest rains expected to deliver ‘punch in the gut’ to Gulf," 10 June 2019 The administration has also placed Chinese telecom giant Huawei on a blacklist that effectively bars U.S. companies from supplying it with computer chips, software and other components without government approval. — Justin L. Mack, Indianapolis Star, "Gas prices and tariffs: Why gas dropping under $2 a gallon might cost you," 5 June 2019 Boeing, on the other hand, has invited criticism for charging airlines an extra fee for information on the MCAS, rather than supplying it for free. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Report: Ethiopian Airlines Pilots Followed Boeing's Safety Procedures But Couldn't Prevent Crash," 3 Apr. 2019 Suzhou Huadong, which supplies supermarkets such as Walmart’s Sam’s Club in China, is just one of the early victims. — Bloomberg, Fortune, "Trump's Trade War Has Its First Victims in the U.S. and China. Here's Who They Are," 9 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Having a Leaping Bunny certification is an ongoing obligation to maintain a cruelty-free supply chain, Kim Paschen, program manager at Leaping Bunny, tells SELF. — Claire Gillespie, SELF, "A Beginner’s Guide to Vegan and Cruelty-Free Makeup and Skin Care," 12 July 2019 Officials in New Orleans are asking residents to keep at least three days of supplies in their homes and keep storm drains clear so flood waters can move quickly, according to the Associated Press. — Char Adams, PEOPLE.com, "Louisiana Braces for Possible Hurricane After Floods Strike New Orleans: 'Water Was Everywhere'," 11 July 2019 Passenger travel, particularly in Asia, is boosting demand for airlines and the manufacture of countless parts made by small companies in the industry’s supply chain. — Stephen Singer, courant.com, "When global becomes local: Connecticut manufacturers benefit from worldwide aerospace boom," 11 July 2019 The power company has said it’s more likely to cut supplies in areas with the greatest fire risk, though any place could lose electricity because transmission lines targeted for shut-offs may pass through not only hazard spots but other places. — Kurtis Alexander, SFChronicle.com, "PG&E’s planned power shutdowns could choke off vital water supplies," 9 July 2019 The story paints a portrait of a guy who can manage the logistics of a supply chain, who’s also interested in making good products better. — Thomas Ricker, The Verge, "What happened to the original iPhone’s plastic screen?," 9 July 2019 The pair stressed the importance of appreciating the resources that come from Africa and working with creators on the continent to ensure greater control over our supply chain. — Ashley Rushford, Essence, "ESSENCE Fashion House: Angela Rye, Rosario Dawson And Abrima Erwiah Talk Sustainability In The Fashion Industry," 8 July 2019 If anyone in your family requires medication, keep an extra week’s supply in your kits. — Ramona Sentinel, "Strong quake prompts preparedness reminders from county," 5 July 2019 Many fish that were small then have grown into adults since, and the nearly endless food supply in the lake, made up of billions of gizzard shad and other baitfish, helps them to grow fast. — Frank Sargeant, al.com, "Lake Guntersville returns to glory in Bassmaster Magazine national rankings," 3 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'supply.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

14 Jul 2019

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Time Traveler for supply

The first known use of supply was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for supply

supply

verb

English Language Learners Definition of supply

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to make (something) available to be used : to provide someone or something with (something that is needed or wanted)

supply

noun

English Language Learners Definition of supply (Entry 2 of 2)

: the amount of something that is available to be used

: things (such as food, equipment, fuel, etc.) that are needed for a particular purpose and that will be used by a particular person or group

: the process or system by which something is provided to a person, place, etc.

See the full definition for supply in the English Language Learners Dictionary

supply

verb

sup·ply | \ sə-ˈplī

supplied; supplying

Kids Definition of supply

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to provide for : satisfy There is enough to supply the demand.

2 : to make available : furnish The tree supplies shade.

supply

noun

plural supplies

Kids Definition of supply (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the amount of something that is needed or can be gotten medical supplies

2 : store entry 2 sense 3 I keep a supply of pencils in my desk.

3 : the act or process of providing something The company is engaged in the supply of raw materials.

supply

transitive verb

sup·ply | \ sə-ˈplī

supplied; supplying

Medical Definition of supply

: to furnish (organs, tissues, or cells) with a vital element (as blood or nerve fibers) —used of nerves and blood vessels the mandibular foramen transmits blood vessels and nerves supplying the lower teeth