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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
Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2026
What’s Next for TopGum Looking to the future, TopGum hopes to espouse its message of accessible wellness on a global scale.
—Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
He's found success as a media personality by posting news and political commentary, which has espoused various conspiracy theories.
—USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Hyde’s big-hearted story about the LGBTQ+ community arrived just as a new American president was espousing anti-trans rhetoric from the Oval Office.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 16 Feb. 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 5 Mar. 2026.
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