support

verb

sup·port | \ sə-ˈpȯrt

supported; supporting; supports

Definition of support

(Entry 1 of 2)

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 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

3a : 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

4a : 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

support

noun

Definition of support (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : 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

Other Words from support Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about support

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Other Words from support

Verb

supportability \ sə-ˌpȯr-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

supportable \ sə-ˈpȯr-tə-bəl

\ adjective

supportive \ sə-ˈpȯr-tiv

\ adjective

supportiveness \ sə-ˈpȯr-tiv-nəs

\ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for support

Verb

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

Examples of support in a Sentence

Verb

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.

Noun

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 on the Web: Verb

The senator supports lefty proposals like the Green New Deal and abolishing private health insurance, for example. — The Economist, "The best line in the first televised debate may hurt the Democrats," 5 July 2019 Earth could naturally support 0.9 billion hectares of additional forest—an area the size of the United States—without impinging on existing urban or agricultural lands, the researchers report today in Science. — Alex Fox, Science | AAAS, "Adding 1 billion hectares of forest could help check global warming," 4 July 2019 In her eight years running the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde supported the European Central Bank’s stimulus efforts but wanted to see more progress by other European policy makers in adopting other pro-growth economic policies. — Josh Zumbrun, WSJ, "Lagarde Likely Would Keep ECB on Current Course," 3 July 2019 Galleani did support the violent overthrow of the government and was eventually deported to Italy. — Cameron Knight, Cincinnati.com, "100 years ago, the U.S. prepared for a nationwide anarchist attack," 3 July 2019 Such missions could support China’s plans for a research station near the lunar south pole to study resources such as water ice, which can be used to manufacture rocket fuel, potable water and breathable air. — The Editors, Scientific American, "The U.S. Should Go Back to the Moon--But Not on Its Own," 3 July 2019 Proceeds from the game will support a permanent home for the Black College Football Hall of Fame in Canton. — Marc Bona, cleveland.com, "Combo ticket offer announced for Hall of Fame college football game," 3 July 2019 But three other inmates supported Floro’s testimony, telling jurors that Litzsinger had engaged in precisely the same conduct before, according to Burgess. — oregonlive.com, "Federal jury finds Oregon corrections officer put inmate in harm’s way, awards $350,000 in damages," 2 July 2019 Proceeds from the event will support scholarships and student support services in Asnuntuck’s Academic Degree programs and Continuing Education Certification and licensure workforce programs. — courant.com, "Community News For The Windsor Locks Edition," 2 July 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Other pollsters have also detected a boomlet in support for the senator. — The Economist, "The best line in the first televised debate may hurt the Democrats," 4 July 2019 Their slugging efforts came in support of Hyun-Jin Ryu. — Jorge Castillo, latimes.com, "Dodgers don’t need late-game heroics to beat Padres and reach 60 wins," 4 July 2019 The video begins with Bevin taking a shot at Attorney General Andy Beshear, his opponent in the upcoming gubernatorial election, over letters former vice president candidate Tim Kaine sent out in support of Beshear. — Lucas Aulbach, The Courier-Journal, "Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin raps, drops diss track against Andy Beshear and Tim Kaine," 3 July 2019 Tim Knopp, Bill Hansell and Cliff Bentz – joining Democrats in support. — oregonlive.com, "Everything Oregon’s Legislature did -- and didn’t do -- for the environment," 3 July 2019 By The Book, 2342 Bissonnet Details: murderbooks.com Dylan LeBlanc Country-folk singer-songwriter, Dylan Le and his longtime band The Pollies will perform at White Oak in support of his recently released new album, Renegade. — Houston Chronicle, "The Go List: Sad Summer Festival, Felipe Esparza," 3 July 2019 Yost also filed an amicus brief in support of the motion. — Sarah Brookbank, Cincinnati.com, "Pike County sheriff Charles Reader pleads not guilty in 16-count criminal case," 2 July 2019 Kim Kardashian West, Kourtney Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner all came out in support of Pippen, snapping selfies with each other and chatting up club-goers. — Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE.com, "Kim, Kourtney & Khloé Kardashian Party with Kendall & Kylie Jenner for Larsa Pippen's Birthday," 30 June 2019 The increase in college costs, the reduction in state support of public universities, and the reduction in real terms of direct federal grants all come together so that substantial numbers of students need to borrow large amounts of money. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, "Real World Economics: Student debt issue needs more study," 30 June 2019

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.

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Dictionary Entries near support

supply-side

supply-side economics

Statistics for support

Last Updated

7 Jul 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for support

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

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More Definitions for support

support

noun

Financial Definition of 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.

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

support

verb

English Language Learners Definition of support

(Entry 1 of 2)

: 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

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

: 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

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

support

verb

sup·port | \ sə-ˈpȯrt

supported; supporting

Kids Definition of support

(Entry 1 of 2)

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.

support

noun

Kids Definition of support (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the act of supporting : the condition of being supported

2 : someone or something that supports

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support

transitive verb

sup·port | \ sə-ˈpō(ə)rt, -ˈpȯ(ə)rt

Medical Definition of support

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

noun

Medical Definition of support (Entry 2 of 2)

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

2 : supporter

support

transitive verb

sup·port

Legal Definition of support

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

noun

Legal Definition of support (Entry 2 of 2)

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