Synonym Chooser

How is the word uphold different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of uphold are advocate, back, champion, and support. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.

upheld the legitimacy of the military action

When is advocate a more appropriate choice than uphold?

While the synonyms advocate and uphold are close in meaning, advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

When is it sensible to use back instead of uphold?

The meanings of back and uphold largely overlap; however, back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.

refusing to back the call for sanctions

When might champion be a better fit than uphold?

The synonyms champion and uphold are sometimes interchangeable, but champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.

championed the rights of children

In what contexts can support take the place of uphold?

While in some cases nearly identical to uphold, support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.

supports waterfront development

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 uphold Last month the Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law that prohibits certain types of gender-affirming medical care for children involving puberty blockers and hormone therapy. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 3 July 2025 After a state appeals court upheld the initial decision early last month, the Indiana Supreme Court on Feb. 19 overturned the prior rulings and struck down the order to stop work. Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 2 July 2025 The Tennessee Supreme Court upheld a law that gives more power over death penalty cases to the attorney general's office. Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 The Supreme Court upheld a law that allows Americans injured by acts of terror in the Middle East to take Palestinian leadership groups to U.S. courts for damages. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 22 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for uphold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uphold
Verb
  • Meanwhile, four other women’s champions successfully defended their titles.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2025
  • Tesla heads to federal court in Miami on Monday to defend its Autopilot system in a wrongful death case involving the death of a 22-year-old college student.
    Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Neither of the drivers nor the passengers involved in the crash sustained injuries.
    Sophie Pendrill, Sun Sentinel, 7 July 2025
  • The other people present did not sustain significant injuries, according to authorities.
    Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • The Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a federal judge's order pausing the Trump administration's large-scale staffing cuts and agency restructuring.
    Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 10 July 2025
  • He is further accused of ordering the presidential security service to obscure communication records from secure phones used afte the martial law was lifted.
    Yoonjung Seo, CNN Money, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • To maintain a growth mindset, routinely evaluate your hard and soft skills.
    Kevin Walters, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
  • One of the main reasons people lie—especially women—is to maintain cohesion in important relationships.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • By comparison, in 2020, Joe Biden carried the same age group by a much wider margin, winning 61 percent to Trump's 36 percent.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 July 2025
  • All six would have to make a stop to change into a long dress, don a wig, and carry a handbag filled with bricks to the finish line on Power’s stage.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • Business leaders must raise their voices—not just for equity, but for the sustainability and competitiveness of their own industries.
    Leadership Brainery, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • The statistics seem to suggest that some students and workers are growing dependent on free AI tools—a usage pattern that might become lucrative if AI companies were to begin restricting access or raising prices.
    Billy Perrigo, Time, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • What event could possibly justify closing a major highway for days on end?
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2025
  • If the Tripadvisor business was the company’s only segment, this valuation could be justified.
    Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • At the same time, as AI becomes more advanced and companies begin to more deeply integrate the technology into their operations, costs should start to come down, supporting profit margin expansion.
    Zev Fima, CNBC, 12 July 2025
  • In addition, the iron, copper and zinc in quinoa work together to support energy production, the immune system and overall health for bones, skin and brain function.
    Bethany Thayer, Freep.com, 12 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Uphold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uphold. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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