Synonyms of espouse

espouse

verb

i-ˈspau̇z 

1

as in to marry

to give in marriage

a couple eager to espouse their eldest daughter

Synonyms & Similar Words

• marry
• match
• wed
• engage
• commit
• promise
• pledge
• affiance
• betroth

2

as in to propose

to take as a spouse

heeded his father's advice to espouse someone with whom he had common interests

Synonyms & Similar Words

• marry
• propose
• wed
• engage
• promise
• commit
• pledge
• affiance
• remarry
• betroth

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• separate (from)
• divorce

3

as in to adopt

to take for one's own use (something originated by another)

after working among them for two years in the Peace Corps, she felt compelled to espouse the peasants' cause for social justice

Synonyms & Similar Words

• adopt
• embrace
• borrow
• cultivate
• take up
• assimilate
• follow
• utilize
• take on
• incorporate
• use
• imitate
• pick up on
• usurp
• cherish
• absorb
• take over
• honor
• copy
• appropriate
• foster
• pretend
• heed
• assume
• arrogate
• treasure
• domesticate
• naturalize
• quote
• simulate
• raise
• nurture
• affect
• prize
• put on
• bring up
• rear

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• abandon
• relinquish
• forsake
• surrender
• give up
• reject
• renounce
• abjure
• disown
• repudiate
• spurn
• discard
• jettison
• throw away
• throw out
• abnegate
• junk

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb espouse differ from other similar words?

The words adopt and embrace are common synonyms of espouse. While all three words mean "to take an opinion, policy, or practice as one's own," espouse adds an implication of close attachment to a cause and a sharing of its fortunes.

espoused the cause of women's rights

In what contexts can adopt take the place of espouse?

The words adopt and espouse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, adopt implies accepting something created by another or foreign to one's nature.

forced to adopt new policies

When might embrace be a better fit than espouse?

The synonyms embrace and espouse are sometimes interchangeable, but embrace implies a ready or happy acceptance.

embraced the customs of their new homeland

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of espouse

At the time, neighbors like Cooke thought the policy was meant to deter flags showing support for sports teams or espousing political views. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Compared with protein, which lends itself to narratives of growth—more grams, more gains—fibre is a bit of a hard sell, likelier to be espoused by women in sensible shoes than by fitness junkies on Twitch. — Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

Originally then, a ‘cynic’ is simply someone who espoused the teachings of Antisthenes. — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026

And the people who espouse the belief are protected from those costs. — Rob Henderson, Washington Post, 21 June 2026

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