SUPPORT Synonyms: 318 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: When could 'advocate' be used to replace 'support'?

While in some cases nearly identical to support , advocate stresses urging or pleading. // advocated prison reform

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

support 1 of 2

noun

Definition of support next

as in reinforcement

a structure that holds up or serves as a foundation for something else if you don't add a couple more supports to that tower of blocks, it's going to fall down

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in assistance

an act or instance of helping the team's victory owes a lot to Joe's strong support in left field

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

support

2 of 2

verb

sə-ˈpȯrt

as in to advocate

to promote the interests or cause of though childless themselves, they support the local schools both by volunteering and by fiercely opposing funding cuts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

as in to sustain

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

as in to justify

to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections we support the students' right to speak out on local issues that affect them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to verify

to give evidence or testimony to the truth or factualness of new evidence supports the original researchers' unexpected conclusions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to assist

to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end sent reinforcements to support the troops deployed overseas

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to tolerate

to put up with (something painful or difficult) he simply cannot support the thought of having to go on living without his beloved wife at his side

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Whether ambient documentation, chart summarization, coding support or clinical search, the race to ship AI-enabled clinical products has accelerated. —

David Lareau, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 Republicans have been invoking complex budget rules to try to secure passage without any Democratic support. —

Nolan D. McCaskill, USA Today, 17 May 2026

Verb

Anika Reed The billionaire rapper is supporting his megastar wife at the gala, alongside their teenage daughter, Blue Ivy. —

Anika Reed, USA Today, 5 May 2026 The project supports the company’s broader vision: blending physical infrastructure revenue with its ongoing Bitcoin mining (currently ~300 PH per second) and Avalanche treasury strategy. —

Tracy Yochum, Miami Herald, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for support

Recent Examples of Synonyms for support

Noun

For too long, quality reinforcements had not been signed.

— George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 May 2026
And as if Cole’s return wasn’t enough, the Yankees hope to have more rotation reinforcements down the road.

— Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 23 May 2026

Definition of reinforcement

Browse Nearby Words

supplying

support

supportable

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Support.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/support. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of support

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on support

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

cohort

Popular in Grammar & Usage

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

On ‘Suffice It to Say’

Regarding the Incorrect Use of 'Decimate'

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Popular in Wordplay

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Strange Words for Body Functions

Where does 'curiosity killed the cat' come from?

What to Call the Inept, Incompetent, and Inferior

The Words of the Week - May 29

Popular

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Strange Words for Body Functions

Games & Quizzes