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support

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verb

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as in to maintain
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
as in to sustain
to hold up or serve as a foundation for pillars supporting the bridge

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in to reinforce
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

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Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of support are advocate, back, champion, and uphold. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.

supports waterfront development

When could advocate be used to replace support?

While in some cases nearly identical to support, advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

Where would back be a reasonable alternative to support?

In some situations, the words back and support are roughly equivalent. However, back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.

refusing to back the call for sanctions

When can champion be used instead of support?

The words champion and support are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.

championed the rights of children

When is it sensible to use uphold instead of support?

While the synonyms uphold and support are close in meaning, uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.

upheld the legitimacy of the military action

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 support
Noun
This legislative session, Michigan lawmakers in both chambers have again proposed public safety funding that would support CVI, but that support has been caught up in a missed deadline and budget negotiations, causing legislation approved by House to be stalled since April. Andrea May Sahouri, Freep.com, 25 July 2025 Soliman spent about four years at Cincinnati Children's, first arriving in the United States in 2014 after being persecuted in his native Egypt for work in support of freelance journalists. Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 25 July 2025
Verb
Both artists have supported each other at various events over the years. Caroline Blair, People.com, 24 July 2025 The satellites are manufactured in Kirkland, Washington at a pace of five per day, which is fast enough to support the needs put in place by the FCC. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for support
Recent Examples of Synonyms for support
Noun
  • The first shots were exchanged in May, prompting the reinforcement of the border.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 25 July 2025
  • The New York Yankees have a reinforcement on the way ahead of their postseason push.
    Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2025
Noun
  • Call 2-1-1 to learn more about local heat relief options, receive help with utility bills or access other types of assistance.
    Sasha Hupka, AZCentral.com, 23 July 2025
  • Jordan, who was not involved in the ACSM report, said eliminating food assistance could worsen the nation's chronic disease epidemic.
    Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • Let Your Expert Guide You: Your digital forensics expert should be educating you about the importance of complete data access and advocating alongside you for obtaining complete UFED files.
    Lars Daniel, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • The new data is already helping residents advocate for environmental justice and make informed decisions about their health.
    Youssef Rafik, Hartford Courant, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • Two-way traffic will be maintained during construction.
    Sofia Joseph, jsonline.com, 22 July 2025
  • South Haven officials maintain the city is working on a plan to add 19 lifeguards to its two beaches by Memorial Day weekend 2026, estimated to cost $619,000 the first year and $383,000 the second year.
    Tresa Baldas, Freep.com, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • Instead, both partners should be willingly putting in the effort to sustain their relationship.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
  • That includes Clark, who sustained a groin injury last week that sidelined her from Friday's three-point contest and tonight's All-Star Game.
    Becky Sullivan, NPR, 19 July 2025
Verb
  • The current American administration, though, is the first to reinforce those ambitions, rather than curtail them.
    Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 24 July 2025
  • Sadly, these actions only reinforce speculation (or fact) about underlying motives.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • However, the Commission did not indicate any sudden or unexpected event that would justify the urgency.
    Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • Lay of the land Advocates for the Golden Dome point to recent events to justify the program.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • His accusation couldn’t be verified in public records.
    The Marshall Project, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
  • Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a statement emphasizing the importance of verifying contact information, including phone numbers and websites, before making any donations, warning that scam artists are using sophisticated methods to manipulate caller ID and other identifying details.
    Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Support.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/support. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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