Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

endorse

American  
[en-dawrs] / ɛnˈdɔrs /

verb (used with object)

endorsed, endorsing
  1. to approve, support, or sustain.

    to endorse a political candidate.

    Synonyms:
    second, back, sustain, uphold, ratify, sanction
  2. to designate oneself as payee of (a check) by signing, usually on the reverse side of the instrument.

  3. to sign one's name on (a commercial document or other instrument).

  4. to make over (a stated amount) to another as payee by one's endorsement.

  5. to write (something) on the back of a document, paper, etc..

    to endorse instructions; to endorse one's signature.

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


noun

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

endorse British  
/ ɪnˈdɔːs /

verb

  1. to give approval or sanction to

  2. to sign (one's name) on the back of (a cheque, etc) to specify oneself as payee

  3. 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

  4. to write (a qualifying comment, recommendation, etc) on the back of a document

  5. to sign (a document), as when confirming receipt of payment

  6. 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

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

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.

Endorse a "zero tolerance" policy on sexual harassment.

From New York Times • Nov. 30, 2017

Woodside isn’t the first signal of Dropbox’s ambitions in mobile advertising: About a year ago, Dropbox bought Endorse, a mobile coupon startup.

From Slate • Apr. 22, 2014

City’s Newspapers Endorse Stringer Over Spitzer New York City’s three major daily newspapers made it bluntly clear this weekend whom they did not want to see as the next comptroller: Eliot Spitzer.

From New York Times • Aug. 18, 2013

Endorse Liberty spent more than $2.9 million during the month and ended up with $60,181 in cash.

From BusinessWeek • Feb. 20, 2012

Endorse it, man, for a fault so frankly acknowledged is half atoned.”

From Marcus: the Young Centurion by Fenn, George Manville

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "endorse" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com