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Definition of supportnext
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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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
With 39% of Gen Z wanting human support if something goes wrong, brands that quietly thinned call centers during the chatbot buildout will face measurable churn. — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026 Dundon is trying to get public support for $600 million in upgrades for the Trail Blazers’ Moda Center. — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
That is an extraordinarily broad claim, and current evidence does not support it. — Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026 Ethiopian authorities have accused Eritrea of supporting the TPLF, an allegation Eritrea has denied. — Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for support
Recent Examples of Synonyms for support
Noun
  • Police reinforcements were sent from the capital, Brussels, and from Antwerp, and more are coming.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Namely, a desperate need for pitching reinforcements and a belief that Holmes’ profile would mesh with their Gold Glove infielders.
    — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The Hope Florida Foundation supports Hope Florida, a signature initiative of DeSantis and his wife, Casey, that has aimed to get people off government assistance by connecting them with nonprofits and churches instead.
    — Liv Caputo, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In 1867, the British government united its North American colonies to form the Canadian Confederation, in part to deter Washington from invading Canada in retaliation for London’s assistance to the Confederacy during the Civil War.
    — Robert B. Zoellick, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Rather than pursuing technological isolationism, Koerte advocates greater collaboration across borders.
    — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Dodd also continued to advocate for independence for the Baltic States.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Leapmotor, meanwhile, maintained rapid growth, with deliveries topping 100,000 cars a month since July.
    — Matthew Tan,Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • An ongoing challenge is maintaining a consistent culture across all of Hilton’s properties.
    — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Its extended takes were conceived from the outset to sustain the audience’s emotional involvement.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Asked whether companies could sustain strong profit growth in the third quarter, Dalio said investors should focus on free cash flow rather than earnings alone.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The experience reinforced her belief that Vancouver has plenty of animation talent, but still needs more infrastructure for independent creators.
    — Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Its amino-acid complex helps smooth and strengthen strands from the inside out, while amaranth extract reinforces fragile hair and baobab extract helps improve elasticity and bounce.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • At Wednesday’s hearing, Paul described Niembro as the most culpable of the four defendants and Ramirez as second, while acknowledging that Ramirez’s cooperation justified a significantly shorter sentence.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Rising prices could also lead shoppers to reconsider which rewards still feel small enough to justify.
    — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • If a message appears to come from the boss but something feels off, Cranor said, workers should verify it through another channel before responding.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The senator is also requesting details about whether the data breach has been verified and what measures the company is taking in response.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Support.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/support. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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