espouse
Americanverb
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to adopt or give support to (a cause, ideal, etc)
to espouse socialism
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archaic (esp of a man) to take as spouse; marry
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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espousesimple
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espousessimple
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have espousedperfect
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has espousedperfect
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am espousingprogressive
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are espousingprogressive
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is espousingprogressive
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have been espousingperfect progressive
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has been espousingperfect progressive
Past
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espousedsimple
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had espousedperfect
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was espousingprogressive
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were espousingprogressive
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had been espousingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of espouse
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Middle French espouser , from Latin spōnsāre “to betroth, espouse”
Explanation
Use the verb espouse to describe the actions of someone who lives according to specific beliefs, such as your friends who espouse environmentalism and as a result walk whenever possible instead of taking the car. You can see the word spouse in espouse, so you may be wondering what husbands and wives have to do with it. Originally espouse did mean "to marry," but its meaning has evolved to include other long-term commitments as well, such as support for a principle or a cause. Similar to marriage, if you espouse a belief system, the idea is that you've chosen to wed yourself to it.
Vocabulary lists containing espouse
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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:
Whatever agendas they may personally espouse, these writers are too alert to the messiness of history and human nature to be rigidly ideological in their work.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
He meant that on any policy debate—immigration restrictions, social matters, foreign policy, economics—the Christian Democrats should create room for politicians and voters to espouse the most conservative position.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025
Although government lawyers who espouse such theories should not be, on those grounds, subject to professional discipline, they can—and, I think, should—generally be shunned by the profession.
From Slate ● Mar. 17, 2025
"This is wholly unacceptable and does not align with the values and behaviours that we espouse or endorse as a service," he said.
From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2025
From place to place he went, wherever there was need of some brave champion to espouse a weak ones cause.
From The Jester's Sword How Aldebaran, the King's Son Wore the Sheathed Sword of Conquest by Johnston, Annie F. (Annie Fellows)
It espouses a very conservative view of the family, which it says should consist of "a father, a mother and as many children as possible."
From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026
San Francisco-based satellite operator Planet Labs espouses a mission “to accelerate humanity toward a more sustainable, secure, and prosperous world by illuminating environmental and social change.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026
Pitt espouses a concept of simplicity in his men’s skincare routine — a three-step ritual starting with cleansing, serum to target signs of aging and then cream to lock in moisture.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 5, 2026
The overall mission Peretti espouses in his memo also runs up against some striking self-contradictions.
From Slate ● Feb. 11, 2025
You forget that Clarice is my cousin; that is why Robert is so fond of her, and espouses her cause so warmly.
From A Pessimist In Theory and Practice by Bird, Frederic Mayer
Three years later, Robinson and Meeropol collaborated on “The House I Live In,” which espoused similar values of patriotism and racial, religious and cultural diversity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
He has also espoused a more collegiate style of governance, delegating some particularly sensitive topics to his senior clergy.
From Barron's ● May 6, 2026
He espoused many of the same ideals as an elected official in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003, before leaving the political stage for reality TV.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026
In the past, Musk has espoused paying penalties rather than waiting for approvals as a way of doing business.
From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2025
Ironically, despite Bobby’s unwillingness to follow principles espoused by the Church, his life still revolved around it.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
They’re doing things that would’ve given Don Draper heart palpitations—laundry, bath time, their daughters’ hair—while espousing fairly traditional views on religion, discipline and masculinity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
And repetition – espousing the same ideas again and again – was an effective tactic.
From Salon ● May 8, 2026
Perhaps the most committed advocate is Dutchman Wim Hof, who has made a career of espousing its purported health benefits.
From Barron's ● Feb. 13, 2026
Here she takes aim at influencers espousing wellness for likes, their followers and the whole industry of commodifying belief.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2025
Forty years later he’d still be espousing ideas put forth by Armstrong and the Plain Truth.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
