endorse

variants also indorse
Definition of endorsenext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb endorse differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of endorse are accredit, approve, certify, and sanction. While all these words mean "to have or express a favorable opinion of," endorse suggests an explicit statement of support.

publicly endorsed her for Senator

How are the words accredit and certify related as synonyms of endorse?

Both accredit and certify usually imply official endorsement attesting to conformity to set standards.

the board voted to accredit the college
must be certified to teach

When would approve be a good substitute for endorse?

The synonyms approve and endorse are sometimes interchangeable, but approve often implies no more than this but may suggest considerable esteem or admiration.

the parents approve of the marriage

In what contexts can sanction take the place of endorse?

The words sanction and endorse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sanction implies both approval and authorization.

the President sanctioned covert operations

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 endorse Khosla himself has endorsed the idea of a national wealth fund, and the symmetry between his individual advocacy and OpenAI’s institutional proposal suggests that a policy framework is crystallizing within the AI industry’s upper echelons. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026 Sanchez was endorsed by both the California Democratic Party and the Alameda County Democratic Party. Grace Hase, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026 Wilson told reporters Tuesday that his coalition consulted with the mayor’s office about the impending lawsuit but declined to endorse Burnett or any other alternate candidate, stressing that his fight remained against the CHA board. Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026 Trump has, on occasion, endorsed multiple contenders in a single race. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for endorse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for endorse
Verb
  • In contrast, the Fraternal Order of Eagles advocated for pensions for industrial wage laborers—for people who had worked in jobs that wore out their bodies and left them physically unable to work.
    Trevor Jackson, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Shailin managed to refer some families to human-rights groups that advocate for prisoners in Iran.
    Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • By that, Lentsch means that the general public — the masses — overwhelmingly support public lands and have the potential to throw their support behind the cause.
    Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The school raised the majority of the funding for the forest from the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, which will also support an environmental science project on campus.
    Molly McCrea, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Endorse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/endorse. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.

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