Definition of support
transitive verb
1 : to endure bravely or quietly : bear
2a (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 taxesb (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 forc : to provide with substantiation : corroborate support an alibi
3a : to pay the costs of : maintain support a familyb : to provide a basis for the existence or subsistence of the island could probably support three — A. B. C. Whipple support a habit
4a : to hold up or serve as a foundation or prop forb : 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
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Examples of support in a Sentence
I completely support your decision to stay.
She no longer supports the war.
The senator says that he supports the proposed legislation.
Which presidential candidate do you support?
The study is supported by the American Medical Association.
The country's citizens were asked to support the war effort.
Her friends supported her by signing her petition.
The charity supports needy families.
Bombers were called in to support the ground troops.
The planet's atmosphere cannot support human life.
Recent Examples of support from the Web
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And after six months as president, Trump is still known to publicly jab at people who failed to support his presidential campaign.
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Collins voted against the legislation in 2015 while Murkowski and Capito both supported it.
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Brooks said the plaques are also a way for Rancho Bernardans to support the foundation’s charitable efforts in the community without becoming a foundation member.
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Ankara, along with Damascus, Moscow, and Tehran, considers many of the Kurdish fighters supported by the United States against the Assad government to be terrorists.
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In the Intercept’s account, the lawmakers supporting this bill aren’t necessarily comfortable with putting people in prison for the crime of allowing their beliefs about Israeli policy to dictate their consumption habits.
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House Majority Leader Nathan Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, said there is wide agreement that the state needs more revenue to support the road system.
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Facing removal from office, Metro Councilman Dan Johnson says three fellow Democrats are violating the city's ethics code to support his potential successor.
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A cut above: Keri Davis-Duffy is doing her hair share to support the Ronald McDonald House.
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
Synonym Discussion of support
support
Definition of support
1a : the act or process of supporting : the condition of being supportedb : 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
Examples of support in a Sentence
The team gets a lot of support from its fans.
I'd like to thank my parents for all of their love and support over the years.
He depended on his wife for emotional support.
He applied for financial support from the state.
the company's friendly support staff
Inspectors found that some of the bridge's supports were weak.
She used my arm as a support and limped to the chair.
These sneakers are designed to give your feet extra support.
Recent Examples of support from the Web
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Additionally, the Pulitzer Center on Crisis reporting, which funds international reporting on underreported topics, is providing support for this ongoing series of stories.
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Organizers are planning workshops and seminars in the 9,000-square-foot gallery space, highlighting the diverse support services available to artists, art nonprofit organizations and other creative professionals.
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Fighting ISIS in Syria, Ukraine and Russia’s ongoing support for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
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HHS Secretary Tom Price has been forthcoming about his support for Medicaid work requirements and his eagerness to approve them.
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An alliance led by Saudi Arabia apparently enjoys Trump’s full support.
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On Twitter, Platt received support for his note, including from costar Laura Dreyfuss and Tony winner Audra McDonald.
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Thus the denouncer of Copperheads has now sunk into dependence on their support.
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A lot of this data is shared with the best of intentions — proud parents announcing milestones, doting friends and relatives celebrating precious memories, families drawing support from their extended network during difficult times.
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
Financial Definition of SUPPORT
support
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.
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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.
SUPPORT Defined for English Language Learners
support
playDefinition of support for English Language Learners
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: to agree with or approve of (someone or something)
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: to show that you approve of (someone or something) by doing something
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: to give help or assistance to (someone or something)
support
Definition of support for English Language Learners
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: the act of showing that you believe that someone or something is good or acceptable : approval of someone or something
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: the act of helping someone by giving love, encouragement, etc.
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: help that is given in the form of money or other valuable things
SUPPORT Defined for Kids
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
nounDefinition of support for Students
1 : the act of supporting : the condition of being supported
2 : someone or something that supports
Medical Dictionary
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
support
Medical Definition of support
1: the act or process of supporting : the condition of being supported respiratory support
2: supporter
Law Dictionary
support
Legal Definition of support
1a : 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
support
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
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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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