supports 1 of 2

plural of support

supports

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of support
1
2
as in maintains
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
4
as in reinforces
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

5
6
7
8

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 supports
Noun
This eliminates the need for temporary supports and allows longer spans without intermediate piers. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025 Crowdfunding groceries is a last-mile solution in a system where wages, benefits, and public supports haven’t fully bridged the gap. Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025 In seven reports released since fiscal year 2026 started July 1, Healey officials quietly stopped including key sections that documented in real-time how much taxpayers had spent on shelter costs, programs designed to move families out of shelter, and municipal supports. Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025 Any interruptions to basic research, such as changes to financial supports or institutions, may threaten future discoveries and potential payoffs for years to come. Ryan Summers, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025 Head Start programs with grant cycles that begin in October will likely experience disruptions in the short term, according to First Focus on Children, a bipartisan advocacy nonprofit focused on supports for women and children. Joey Garrison, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025 This includes the Texas Family First pilot program, which received $23 million in state funding to continue the program aimed at preventing children from entering foster care through supports such as mental health and behavioral health services. Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025 Many have expressed concern about the aging pipes over several years, as anchor strikes, missing pipeline supports and loss of protective pipeline coating have been discovered. Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 20 Sep. 2025 These supports also would be integrated in the Administration’s Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) demonstration model. Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
Research on interpersonal warmth—which, alongside competence, accounts for roughly 82% of how people evaluate others—supports the importance of explicit positive communication. Dave Smith, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2025 Creatine is a naturally occurring compound in the body that primarily supports muscles. Jenna Anderson, Health, 17 Oct. 2025 But Qatar, a country that provides a haven to terrorists and financially supports anti-Israel activism around the world, is key to American interests, Hirschhorn said. Michele Chabin, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025 Her nonprofit Kode With Klossy, which supports female teenagers learning to code, celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2025. Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 17 Oct. 2025 The pelvic floor supports the pelvic organs (the bladder, uterus and bowel), controls the body’s continence mechanisms and helps with core stability. Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025 Speights supports Harden’s career When the Clippers began the 2024-25 season in October 2024, Speights was there to cheer her boyfriend’s team on. Adam England, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025 Focused on talent discovery and equity, the program supports creators with little to no industry experience. Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025 Bezos supports this government. Thania Garcia, Variety, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for supports
Noun
  • In a matter of hours, the pillars of an entire system of repression had not simply collapsed.
    Danny Makki, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Fasting, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, is a vital part of Ramadan, the holy period that marks the month when Muslims believe the angel Gabriel first revealed the Quran, Islam’s central religious text, to the Prophet Muhammad.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Benson returned to the lineup Wednesday and sparked the team with four assists.
    Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • With LeBron James also out for several weeks, the Lakers went with a starting five of Vincent, Rui Hachimura (19 points), Jaxson Hayes (12 points, 10 rebounds), Dalton Knecht (eight points, eight rebounds, seven assists) and Jarred Vanderbilt (five points, seven rebounds and four assists).
    Oc Register, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • If the board endorses his proposal, King may then decide whether to propose regulations, which the Board of Commissioners would then weigh, according to the Health Department.
    Anna Clark, ProPublica, 13 Oct. 2025
  • The law also requires insurance plans to cover the vaccines the state endorses.
    Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Athletic maintains full editorial independence.
    Data Skrive, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2025
  • That contest will determine if Milei maintains a political mandate to further his aggressive cost-cutting agenda.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • If New Orleans sustains drives, though, the offense may try to go up-tempo to tire them out.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
  • That labor sustains an inequitable tech economy in which a handful of companies, including Meta, Google and Amazon, rake in profit and enrich their shareholders.
    Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Unless overturned, the ruling leaves those orders in effect and reinforces the broad discretion presidents have over national energy policy.
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Their instant chemistry reinforces that direction.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Israel's prison service defends its treatment, but human rights groups report serious abuses.
    Greg Myre, NPR, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Carrie is in love with Richard, defends him, and even punishes Laura by starving her for multiple days.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • As the new stands open throughout the season, Zavala confirms that the new food items will roll out over the next few months as the Ducks take to the ice.
    Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Data from cybersecurity firms increasingly confirms the worldview of the IlluminatiPirate.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Supports.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/supports. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on supports

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!