supply

plural supplies

Definition of supply

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : the quantity or amount (as of a commodity) needed or available beer was in short supply in that hot weather— Nevil Shute

b : provisions, stores —usually used in plural

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

d obsolete : reinforcements —often used in plural

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

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

4 : something that maintains or constitutes a supply

5 obsolete : assistance, succor

supply

verb

sup·ply | \ sə-ˈplī

supplied; supplying

Definition of supply (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 [Middle French souploier, alteration of soupplier]

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

b : to satisfy the needs or wishes of

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

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

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

3 : to add as a supplement

intransitive verb

: to serve as a supply or substitute

supply

Definition of supply (Entry 3 of 3)

less common spelling of supplely

Other Words from supply Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about supply

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Examples of supply in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Renaud Anjoran, a supply-chain expert at China Manufacturing Consultants in Shenzhen, works with foreign companies that have factories on the Yangtze River. — Grady Mcgregor, Fortune, "Why China’s catastrophic floods will barely dent its economy," 8 Aug. 2020 The agency is doing its part, said DeJoy, a Republican fundraiser and former supply chain executive who took command of the agency June 15. — Matthew Daly, Anchorage Daily News, "Postal Service loses $2.2B in 3 months as virus woes persist," 8 Aug. 2020 The agency is doing its part to control costs and increase efficiency, said DeJoy, a 63-year-old Republican fundraiser from North Carolina and a former supply-chain executive who took command June 15. — CBS News, "Financial losses pile up for U.S. Postal Service," 7 Aug. 2020 The party also shared shipment reports from Panjiva, a global supply chain tracker, that show Renaissance Global Logistics’ involvement in 33 shipments from China between 2017 and 2019. — Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, "Mich. Democrats say John James' tough talk on China is hypocritical. Here’s what’s true.," 7 Aug. 2020 As cases spiked, the demand overwhelmed laboratories, and shortages in the supply chain meant many Americans had to wait days — or even weeks — for results. — Sarah Mervosh, New York Times, "How Accurate Are Virus Tests? Ohio Governor’s Results Show Positives and Negatives," 7 Aug. 2020 The agency is doing its part, said DeJoy, a Republican fundraiser and former supply chain executive who took command of the agency June 15. — Matthew Daly, chicagotribune.com, "Postal Service loses $2.2 billion in 3 months as coronavirus woes persist," 7 Aug. 2020 And with an efficient supply chain, companies can turn around new products fast, Aimitus adds. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "The Oat Milk Craze Isn't Going Anywhere," 6 Aug. 2020 The cost-cutting measures, intended to address the Postal Service's longtime financial problems, were imposed last month after DeJoy, a Republican fundraiser and former supply-chain executive, took over the top job in June. — Matthew Daly, Star Tribune, "Congress urges Postal Service to undo changes slowing mail," 6 Aug. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Drug importation, for example, requires regulatory actions to be taken and supply chains to be established, a tall order when the election is just three months away. — Calvin Woodward, Star Tribune, "AP FACT CHECK: Trump's election agitations and distortions," 1 Aug. 2020 Pfizer and BioNTech last week reached a $1.95 billion deal to supply their coronavirus vaccine to the government, while Novavax Inc., which has yet to commercialize a medicine or vaccine, earlier this month announced a $1.6 billion deal. — James Paton, Fortune, "U.S. pledges $2.1 billion for up to 600 doses of Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline vaccine," 31 July 2020 The Ethiopian government plans to supply electricity to more of its population. — Ashok Swain, Quartz Africa, "How to understand the Grand Renaissance Dam tensions between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan," 31 July 2020 Students also will be able to take a legitimate test off-campus and supply the results to University Health Service. — Sarah Ladd, The Courier-Journal, "All University of Kentucky on-campus students have to take a COVID-19 test this semester," 31 July 2020 His institute has invested in logging equipment to supply wood chips to community biomass facilities, which burn them to produce heat and electricity. — Jane Braxton Little, Wired, "The Debate Over Burning Dead Trees to Create Biomass Energy," 27 June 2020 The Bureau of Prisons chose the company with limited competition for a contract to supply surgical gowns to its facilities. — Derek Willis, ProPublica, "A Company Run by a White House “Volunteer” With No Experience in Medical Supplies Got $2.4 Million From the Feds for Medical Supplies," 26 June 2020 Nests can have hundreds of workers, which supply the queen and colony with food. — Douglas Main, National Geographic, "Another ‘murder hornet’ found in Washington State—here’s what that means.," 1 June 2020 Most are coastal areas that are both near warm bodies of water, which can supply abundant moisture, and subject to soaring overland temperatures. — Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, "Heat and Humidity Are Already Reaching the Limits of Human Tolerance," 8 May 2020

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

11 Aug 2020

Cite this Entry

“Supply.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supply. Accessed 14 Aug. 2020.

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More Definitions for supply

supply

noun

English Language Learners Definition of supply

(Entry 1 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.

supply

verb

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

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

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

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