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Commit to Learning the History of Espouse
As you might guess, the words espouse and spouse are hitched, both coming from the Latin verb spondēre, meaning “to promise” or “to betroth.” In fact, the two were once completely interchangeable, with each serving as a noun meaning “a newly married person” or “a partner in marriage” and also as a verb meaning “to marry.” Their semantic separation began when the noun espouse fell out of use. Nowadays, espouse is almost exclusively encountered as a verb used in the figuratively extended sense “to commit to and support as a cause.”
Examples of espouse in a Sentence
Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Let’s continue the fight and the push at all levels to espouse the true benefit and value of these plans.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 7 Feb. 2026
Although anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protests continue at Targets and cities across the country, and celebrities continue to espouse anti-ICE rhetoric, more than two-thirds of Americans think local and state authorities should be cooperating with federal officials.
—Elaine Mallon, Baltimore Sun, 4 Feb. 2026
The potency of the story is in how Felder, now 58, looks back on the totality of his life as an older gent, espousing wisdom that comes with age and self-interrogation.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for espouse
Cite this Entry
“Espouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/espouse. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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