supportive
Americanadjective
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giving support.
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providing sympathy or encouragement.
His family was supportive of his attempts to be a writer.
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providing additional help, information, etc.; auxiliary.
manufacturers of supportive materials.
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Medicine/Medical. helping to maintain a normal physiological balance, as by the intravenous administration of required nutriment.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of supportive
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.
Vocabulary lists containing supportive
Dear Martin
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Nothing But the Truth
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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.
While some described the former Marine as a kind and supportive partner, others detailed disturbing conduct.
From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026
Analysts pointed to “improving medical cost trends and supportive near-term data points,” which they believe positions UnitedHealth for a “favorable” setup heading into second-quarter earnings.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
He said they were thrilled, that his mother was very supportive of all the young talent and amazed that I had thought of her.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
The U.S. demand backdrop remains supportive, it says.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
“And at home your parents are trying to be supportive and say, ‘Well, if you’re not happy, if it’s not right for you, come back home.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
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.
