support 1 of 2

Definition of supportnext

support

2 of 2

verb

1
2
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
Tuck it into a corner of your yard or plant it against a fence to add some support. Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 10 June 2026 From this perspective, the pendulum has fully swung from being near resistance and overbought to being near support and oversold. Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 10 June 2026
Verb
The project is inspired and supported by Broncos legend Peyton Manning. Christa Swanson, CBS News, 11 June 2026 Among registered voters in the state, 52% supported Becerra in a head-to-head matchup against Hilton, who was backed by 31%, according to a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll which was co-sponsored by The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for support
Recent Examples of Synonyms for support
Noun
  • According to xAI, OpenAI sought information about the development of Grok 4, arguing that OpenAI’s forthcoming ChatGPT updates were struggling to compete with Grok’s capabilities in advanced reasoning and reinforcement learning techniques.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 15 June 2026
  • After retargeting, the robot is trained in a simulation environment using reinforcement learning.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • Ecumenical Hunger Program did administer a Family Sustainability Program that was started during COVID that provided financial assistance to families in need in our community.
    Sooji Nam, CBS News, 17 June 2026
  • Families that have been priced out of the market are able to use Habitat’s below-market interest rate loans and down payment assistance.
    Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • Likewise, a woman who advocates for her accomplishments may be criticized for self-promotion, while a man doing the same may be praised for executive presence.
    Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
  • Paul Stanley and John Fogerty referenced label woes; Raye advocated for a songwriter’s share of recording master rights.
    Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Lieurance, 73, was a dentist who maintained a years-long practice in Wichita before moving to Overland Park, reportedly to be closer to his children and grandchildren.
    Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 17 June 2026
  • Griffin said previous discussions had put the city’s subsidy at between $700 and $1,200 per rooftop to maintain service standards.
    Noah Daly June 16, Idaho Statesman, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • Harris said the officer sustained serious injuries but had since recovered.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2026
  • The political leadership of both of our major parties must step up to sustain the research enterprise in our public and private universities.
    Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • The project also reinforces San Diego’s growing status as a center for fusion research and development.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026
  • Activating them during exposure work may reinforce the therapeutic learning happening in the room, helping patients form new emotional associations with traumatic memories rather than experiencing them as immediate threats.
    Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • In my view, a push by Metcalf does not justify a deadly response unless the push was an attempt to push someone off a subway platform.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 15 June 2026
  • SpaceX lost nearly $5 billion in 2025 and the blockbuster IPO has sparked debate over whether the company's huge valuation is justified.
    Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • Having a smart structure for AI verification is going to become increasingly critical as the technology performs more and more tasks, outpacing the ability of humans to verify all the work.
    Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 16 June 2026
  • International monitors verified that Iran was complying, and Iran was able to tap its oil wealth.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 15 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Support.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/support. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

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