Synonyms

endorse

American

[en-dawrs] / ɛnˈdɔrs /

verb (used with object)

to approve, support, or sustain.

to endorse a political candidate.

Synonyms:

second, back, sustain, uphold, ratify, sanction
to designate oneself as payee of (a check) by signing, usually on the reverse side of the instrument.
to sign one's name on (a commercial document or other instrument).
to make over (a stated amount) to another as payee by one's endorsement.
to write (something) on the back of a document, paper, etc..

to endorse instructions; to endorse one's signature.
to acknowledge (payment) by placing one's signature on a bill, draft, etc.

noun

Heraldry. a narrow pale, about one quarter the usual width and usually repeated several times.

endorse British

/ ɪnˈdɔːs /

verb

to give approval or sanction to
to sign (one's name) on the back of (a cheque, etc) to specify oneself as payee
commerce
1. to sign the back of (a negotiable document) to transfer ownership of the rights to a specified payee
2. to specify (a designated sum) as transferable to another as payee
to write (a qualifying comment, recommendation, etc) on the back of a document
to sign (a document), as when confirming receipt of payment
to record (a conviction) on (a driving licence)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of endorse

First recorded in 1350–1400; variant (with en- for in- ) of earlier indorse, from Medieval Latin indorsāre “to endorse,” equivalent to Latin in- in- ² + -dorsāre, derivative of dorsum “back”; replacing endoss, Middle English endossen, from Old French endosser, equivalent to en- en- ¹ + -dosser, derivative of dos, from Latin dorsum

Explanation

To endorse is to give support to someone or something. "I endorse this!" means "I think this is a good thing, and so should you." People endorse in many ways. When someone endorses a politician, it means "You should vote for this person, and I'm putting my reputation on the line to say so." When someone endorses a product in a commercial, it means "Go buy this! You'll like it." To endorse is to give support. You can also endorse a check, which means writing your name or someone else's on the back so that you or the other person can cash or deposit it.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing endorse

Material World: Shopping Lingo

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Vocabulary from Donald Trump's Victory Speech, November 9, 2016

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - Introductory

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

endorse endorses endorsed endorsing

He understood why his colleagues used them, even though hospitals generally don’t endorse the use of unvetted tech.

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

It doesn’t endorse screenings for skin cancer or recommend that physicians counsel patients on how to look for suspicious moles and growths on their bodies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

When people get attached to their AI agents, they’re also more likely to follow their suggestions, which can lead to them spending more money on the services and products that agents endorse, Yim said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 3, 2026

The names of hundreds of notable figures from across the West Midlands have been added to the piece, with some visiting the project specifically to endorse it by adding their signature.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

“Sirs, while I would liefer commend the nobility of restraint, here must I endorse rather the vigor of lively opposition, lest, peradventure, we find that inaction is in itself the occasion of profligacy.”

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

“If he endorses Karen Bass a lot of people will see him as a sellout. If he endorses Nithya, which I can’t see happening, people will say he’s just bitter at Karen Bass,” Klink said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told the BBC: "Anyone who engages in or endorses political violence or assassination culture must be condemned in the harshest terms possible."

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

But he will still be able to stay in the spotlight by creating suspense over whom he endorses as his successor in 2028.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

He endorses an aphorism from Arrigo Sacchi, a legendary Italian manager, who described soccer as “the most important of the least important things.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

If some celebrity endorses a brand of dog food, or some cabdriver disapproves of the mayor’s handling of a dilemma, there’s obviously no reason to accord statistical significance to these personal expressions.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

Just eight days before the vigil, Almontaser had publicly endorsed Mamdani’s new strategy to combat antisemitism—the same initiative that had helped provoke the student protest.

From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026

"There are also guidelines for investigation, endorsed by the ICRC, so they have some authority. And they emphasise promptness, thoroughness, impartiality."

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

She endorsed Bass, an ally, for reelection and then abruptly and surprisingly announced that she was running against her.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

AI chip giant Nvidia has endorsed a change that could have ripple effects.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Well-known quotations embody both of these things: they come with the imprimatur both of ancient derivation, and of the many people who, by passing it on, in some way are understood to have endorsed it.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

Athletes started earning money by endorsing everything from local barbecue joints to Dr Pepper.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

I was in the mode of being a good council member and trying to fight for my constituents and endorsing the mayor is part of that.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026

On the other hand, as even the Globe editorial endorsing Moulton acknowledged, Markey still seems like “the picture of sharpness and vigor.”

From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2026

A vaccine skeptic, Kennedy has shared mixed messaging on MMR vaccine, at times endorsing it and other times sharing unproven claims about its safety.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

By making this argument, I am endorsing one side in the long- running dispute between mother- and sister-culture proponents.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023