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support

play
verb sup·port \ sə-ˈpȯrt \
Updated on: 26 Jul 2017

Definition of support

transitive verb
1 :to endure bravely or quietly :bear
2 a (1) :to promote the interests or cause of
(2) :to uphold or defend as valid or right :advocate
  • supports fair play
(3) :to argue or vote for
  • supported the motion to lower taxes
b (1) :assist, help
  • bombers supported the ground troops
(2) :to act with (a star actor)
(3) :to bid in bridge so as to show support for
c :to provide with substantiation :corroborate
  • support an alibi
3 a :to pay the costs of :maintain
  • support a family
b :to provide a basis for the existence or subsistence of
  • the island could probably support three
  • —A. B. C. Whipple
  • support a habit
4 a :to hold up or serve as a foundation or prop for
b :to maintain (a price) at a desired level by purchases or loans; also :to maintain the price of by purchases or loans
5 :to keep from fainting, yielding, or losing courage :comfort
6 :to keep (something) going
—

supportability

play \sə-ˌpȯr-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun
—

supportable

play \-ˈpȯr-tə-bəl\ adjective
—

supportive

play \-ˈpȯr-tiv\ adjective
—

supportiveness

play \-nəs\ noun

See support defined for English-language learners

See support defined for kids

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Examples of support in a Sentence

  1. I completely support your decision to stay.

  2. She no longer supports the war.

  3. The senator says that he supports the proposed legislation.

  4. Which presidential candidate do you support?

  5. The study is supported by the American Medical Association.

  6. The country's citizens were asked to support the war effort.

  7. Her friends supported her by signing her petition.

  8. The charity supports needy families.

  9. Bombers were called in to support the ground troops.

  10. The planet's atmosphere cannot support human life.

Recent Examples of support from the Web

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

Origin and Etymology of support

Middle English, from Anglo-French supporter, from Late Latin supportare, from Latin, to transport, from sub- + portare to carry — more at fare

support Synonyms

Synonyms
advocate, back, champion, endorse (also indorse), patronize, plump (for), plunk (for) or plonk (for), go in for, go to bat for, hold a brief for, stand up for, stick up for, foot the bill (for), take care of
Antonyms
disprove, rebut, refute
Related Words
adopt, embrace, espouse; abet, aid, assist, help, prop (up), second, side (with); backstop, bolster, boost, buttress, reinforce (also reenforce); advance, forward, further; plug, preach, talk up; bail out, deliver, rescue, save
Near Antonyms
baffle, foil, frustrate, interfere, oppose, sabotage, thwart; desert, disappoint, fail, let down

Synonym Discussion of support

support, uphold, advocate, back, champion mean to favor actively one that meets opposition. support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.
    • supports waterfront development
uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.
    • upheld the legitimacy of the military action
advocate stresses urging or pleading.
    • advocated prison reform
back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.
    • refusing to back the call for sanctions
champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.
    • championed the rights of children
2

support

noun

Definition of support

1 a :the act or process of supporting :the condition of being supported
b :assistance provided by a company to users of its products
  • customer support
2 :one that supports —often used attributively
  • a support staff
3 :sufficient strength in a suit bid by one's partner in bridge to justify raising the suit

See support defined for English-language learners

Examples of support in a Sentence

  1. The team gets a lot of support from its fans.

  2. I'd like to thank my parents for all of their love and support over the years.

  3. He depended on his wife for emotional support.

  4. He applied for financial support from the state.

  5. the company's friendly support staff

  6. Inspectors found that some of the bridge's supports were weak.

  7. She used my arm as a support and limped to the chair.

  8. These sneakers are designed to give your feet extra support.

Recent Examples of support from the Web

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

First Known Use of support

14th century

support Synonyms

Synonyms
brace, buttress, mount, mounting, prop, reinforcement, shore, spur, stay, underpinning
Antonyms
hindrance
Related Words
shoring; column, pedestal, pilaster, pillar; arch, bolster, bracket, cantilever, girder; bearing; crutch, peg, post, stake, stanchion, stand, stilt, strut, truss; base, foundation, frame
Near Antonyms
constraint, frustration, inhibition, interference, obstruction, repression, restraint; deterrence, discouragement

Financial Definition of SUPPORT

support
noun

What It Is

In technical trading analysis, support is a lower limit in a price channel in which a security’s price tends to stay.

How It Works

Price channels can slope up (indicating bullish sentiment) or down (indicating bearish sentiment); they don’t have to simply go “sideways.” The important geometric characteristic is that the resistance lines (which are the opposite of support lines; they are the upper limits of the price channel) and support lines are parallel, as shown in this price channel for ChevronTexaco (CVX). The channel lines themselves are often based on multiday moving averages or logarithmic scales that reflect price movements in percentage terms. However, technical trading is as much an art as it is a science, and so one technical trader’s price channel might be different from another’s.

When a stock’s price touches or goes below the support, this may signal a trend change, which is why the support level is very important to technical traders.

Why It Matters

Price channels help tip traders off about trend changes in a stock or "unusual" activity when the price goes above or below the price channel lines (we call this a breakout). For example, a technical trader might buy when a stock hits the support level of an upward-sloping price channel; similarly, traders hope to be already out of a stock before it hits the support level on a downward-sloping price channel.

Source: Investing Answers

Phrases Related to SUPPORT

Related Phrases

SUPPORT Defined for English Language Learners

support

play
verb

Definition of support for English Language Learners

  • : to agree with or approve of (someone or something)

  • : to show that you approve of (someone or something) by doing something

  • : to give help or assistance to (someone or something)

support

noun

Definition of support for English Language Learners

  • : the act of showing that you believe that someone or something is good or acceptable : approval of someone or something

  • : the act of helping someone by giving love, encouragement, etc.

  • : help that is given in the form of money or other valuable things

SUPPORT Defined for Kids

1

support

play
verb sup·port \ sə-ˈpȯrt \

Definition of support for Students

supported; supporting
1 :to hold up or in position :serve as a foundation or prop for
  • Posts support the porch roof.
2 :to take sides with :favor
  • Which candidate do you support?
3 :to provide evidence for :verify
  • They cannot support this claim.
4 :to pay the costs of :maintain
  • His income supports a large family.
5 :to keep going :sustain
  • There is not enough air to support life.
6 :to provide help or encouragement to
  • My friends supported me while I was sick.
—

supporter

noun
2

support

noun

Definition of support for Students

1 :the act of supporting :the condition of being supported
2 :someone or something that supports

Medical Dictionary

1

support

play
transitive verb sup·port \ sə-ˈpō(ə)rt, -ˈpȯ(ə)rt \

medical Definition of support

1 :to hold up or serve as a foundation or prop for
2 :to maintain in condition, action, or existence
  • support respiration
  • support life
2

support

noun

medical Definition of support

1 :the act or process of supporting :the condition of being supported
  • respiratory support
2 :supporter

Law Dictionary

1

support

transitive verb sup·port

legal Definition of support

1 a :to promote the interests or cause of
b :to uphold or defend as valid or right
c :to argue or vote for
2 :to provide with substantiation or corroboration
  • support an alibi
3 :to provide with the means of livelihood (as housing, food, or clothing) especially in accordance with an agreement or court order
4 :to hold up or in position :maintain the physical integrity of
  • the right to have one's land supported by the underlying land
2

support

noun

legal Definition of support

1 :the act or process of supporting :the condition of being supported
  • pledged the candidate their support
2 :a means of obtaining the necessities of life (as food, shelter, and clothing) :a source of livelihood especially in the form of alimony or child support
3 :something that provides support

Learn More about support

  1. See words that rhyme with support Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for support Spanish Central: Translation of support Nglish: Translation of support for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of support for Arabic speakers

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Examples: support in a Sentence