supportive

American  

[suh-pawr-tiv, -pohr-] / səˈpɔr tɪv, -ˈpoʊr- /

adjective

1. giving support.

2. providing sympathy or encouragement.

   His family was supportive of his attempts to be a writer.

3. providing additional help, information, etc.; auxiliary.

   manufacturers of supportive materials.

4. Medicine/Medical. helping to maintain a normal physiological balance, as by the intravenous administration of required nutriment.

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supportive British  

/ səˈpɔːtɪv /

adjective

1. providing support, esp moral or emotional support

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Other Word Forms

• nonsupportive adjective
• supportively adverb
• supportiveness noun
• unsupportive adjective

Etymology

Origin of supportive

First recorded in 1585–95; support + -ive

Explanation

To be supportive is to give help or assistance, or to hold something or someone up. If your parents are supportive of your dreams to become a chef, they might enroll you in cooking classes. Supportive is a snuggly word. Anything that supports you, or embraces you and holds you up is supportive. It can be physically supportive, like a girdle that holds your belly in, or emotionally supportive like a loving family or solid network of friends. A parent paying for a child's college bills is supportive financially. Things can be supportive, too — posts holding up a building are supportive. Being supportive is a good thing.

Example Sentences

“Evidence suggests that when families have supportive infrastructure around them, they’re more likely to have the children they want to have,” Erin Erenberg, co-founder and CEO of Chamber of Mothers, told Salon.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026

She welcomes the guidance for parents, but says it is important that it is "non-judgemental and supportive".

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

The new rules on day-trading margins drew supportive comments from brokers when first proposed in January by the industry’s self-regulator Finra.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

“We see the announcement as positive and supportive of earnings growth,” says Nebhani, noting that details of the portfolio are confidential.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

She felt guilty even looking at that old picture of Sammy, with Frank trying to be so sweet and supportive.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan