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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
Susan Page, USA Today, 12 Jan. 2026
Although Rubio never espoused anything like that in public, some of the new arrivals at State did.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Many of these staffers are defecting to a new organization called Advancing American Freedom, founded by former Vice President Mike Pence, that espouses a much more traditional view of conservatism.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2026
The group has seen several other departures after Roberts defended Tucker Carlson’s interview with the controversial Nick Fuentes, who has espoused antisemitic rhetoric.
—Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 12 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 15 Jan. 2026.
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