support 1 of 2

Definition of supportnext

support

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verb

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as in to maintain
to pay the living expenses of a young widow supporting a sick mother as well as two small children on a teacher's salary

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in to sustain
to hold up or serve as a foundation for pillars supporting the bridge

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in to reinforce
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) studies that support the claim that red wine drinkers have a reduced risk of coronary disease and cancer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word support different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of support are advocate, back, champion, and uphold. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.

supports waterfront development

When could advocate be used to replace support?

While in some cases nearly identical to support, advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

Where would back be a reasonable alternative to support?

In some situations, the words back and support are roughly equivalent. However, back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.

refusing to back the call for sanctions

When can champion be used instead of support?

The words champion and support are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.

championed the rights of children

When is it sensible to use uphold instead of support?

While the synonyms uphold and support are close in meaning, uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.

upheld the legitimacy of the military action

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of support
Noun
Momoa seals the audience support deal early in a terrific fight sequence. Richard Kuipers, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026 The other remaining spending measures have overwhelming bipartisan support. Sam Gringlas, NPR, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, who had pushed the tax as a way to expand the city’s long-term housing inventory, had hoped the council would support his request to put the proposal before the voters in June. Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026 Her fellowship is supported by the University of Texas at Dallas. Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for support
Recent Examples of Synonyms for support
Noun
  • This becomes a form of intermittent reinforcement where unpredictable emotional rewards strengthen attachment even when nothing fundamentally changes.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Starting pitching should be a major strength for the Red Sox, as a staff of Garrett Crochet, Suarez, Gray, Brayan Bello and perhaps Johan Oviedo — another offseason addition — is the best on paper in the AL East, at least until the Yankees’ reinforcements return.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Photorealistic traffic environments allow drivers to test displays and assistance features in context.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
  • The investigation is being led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations under Special Agents in Charge Mark Zito and Jason Todd Stevens, with assistance from the FBI, according to multiple officials briefed on the case.
    Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Vance, a Republican, has spent years passionately advocating for Americans to have more children.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Jan. 2026
  • That policy, however, has come under political pressure with prominent names including Takaichi advocating for softer rates to fuel economic growth.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Kim maintained a high profile as first lady, often wearing stylish outfits on overseas presidential trips that won her both praise and criticism back home.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
  • If Engstrand had stayed while maintaining his title of offensive coordinator, the Jets could have skipped the interview process required for offensive and defensive coordinators.
    Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The classroom where the fire happened was the only one to sustain fire damage, but other classrooms sustained minor damage, according to police.
    Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Sakura Square can mirror the success of other cultural destinations, like Seattle’s Chinatown, where 76% of spending comes from non-residents, driving regional visitation and sustaining Downtown vibrancy.
    Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Takaichi has called an election on February 8 in a bid to reinforce her mandate on a range of policies, potentially including her tougher stance on China, having secured the office by winning an internal contest among her Liberal Democratic Party in October.
    Chris Lau, CNN Money, 25 Jan. 2026
  • Their choices can either reinforce harms or reduce them.
    Monica Sanders, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Howard, who had served as a second lieutenant with the Ninety‑Second Division, 366th Infantry in France during World War I, accused President Truman of using the Cold War to justify a sweeping peacetime expansion of America’s global military footprint.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
  • And yet Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claims that the agents were justified despite evidence so clear that it can be found unedited on YouTube.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • But the numbers have been steadily climbing as a network of international nongovernmental organizations has worked to verify the scale of the crackdown.
    Somayeh Malekian, ABC News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Engineers continue to verify system readiness before allowing underwater testing to begin.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 27 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Support.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/support. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on support

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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