support

American  

[suh-pawrt] / səˈpɔrt /

verb (used with object)

• supports,
  present (3rd person singular)
• supported,
  past participle,  past
• supporting
  present participle

1. 

   to bear or hold up (a load, mass, structure, part, etc.); serve as a foundation for.

   Don’t take down this dividing wall, as it supports the roof.

2. to sustain or withstand (weight, pressure, strain, speed, etc.) without giving way.

   The specs on this folding chair say it can support up to 200 pounds.

   The circuit breaker was not able to support the electrical requirements of three appliances.

3. to encourage, comfort, help, etc., under trial or affliction; sustain.

   They supported him throughout his ordeal.

4. to maintain (a person, family, establishment, institution, etc.) by supplying with things necessary to existence; provide for.

   It is next to impossible to support a family on such a low salary.

5. to give financial assistance to (a person, organization, program, etc.); be a contributor to or patron of.

   I try to support the local theater by buying season tickets every year.

   Our scholarship fund supports a number of students from lower-income families.

6. Computers. (of a manufacturer) to provide regular updates, troubleshooting, service, etc., for (a program or device).

   They’re no longer supporting this version of the operating system.

7. to uphold (a person, cause, policy, etc.) by aid, public approval, one's vote, etc.; back; second.

   He was unable to support the resolution, but did not speak out against it either.

   Which candidate do you support in the City Council race?

8. to maintain or advocate (a theory, principle, etc.).

   Many viewers support the theory that the housekeeper will turn out to be the murderer.

9. to corroborate (a statement, opinion, etc.).

   Leading doctors supported his testimony.

10. to act with or second (a lead performer); assist in performance.

    The star was supported by a talented newcomer.

11. to undergo or endure, especially with patience or submission; tolerate.

    How do you support the constant drama in this office?

    Synonyms:

    stomach, stand, bear, suffer

---

noun

• support
  plural

1. the act or an instance of sustaining, upholding, helping, advocating for, etc..

   Without emotional support I would never have made it through.

   Support for the party is growing among younger voters.

2. something that serves as a foundation, prop, brace, or stay.

   Those L-brackets are the supports for the shelf.

3. maintenance, such as of a person or family, with necessities, means, or funds.

   He paid for the support of the orphans until they completed their education.

   Synonyms:

   keep, subsistence, sustenance

4. a person or thing that supports, as financially.

   The pension was his only support.

5. a person or thing that gives aid, encouragement, etc..

   You have been such a support to me over this challenging time.

   The revised edition also includes updated daily lesson plans, sample tests, and other curricular supports.

6. Digital Technology. a department, team, or individual that offers troubleshooting, instruction, assistance, etc., to users.

   If you’re still having trouble signing in, contact support at the number below.

7. Computers. regular updates, troubleshooting, service, etc., by a manufacturer for a piece of software or hardware.

   Support for this application has been withdrawn.

8. an actor, actress, or group performing with a lead performer.

9. the material, such as canvas or wood, on which a picture is painted.

10. Stock Exchange. support level.

adjective

1. serving to assist, such as by providing instruction or solving problems, managing administrative tasks, supplementing the activities of colleagues, etc..

   Teachers are calling for smaller class sizes and more support personnel in the classroom.

   You will be acting in a support role to the executive director.

2. (of socks or stockings) made with elasticized fibers so as to fit snugly on the legs, thereby aiding circulation, relieving fatigue, etc..

   She wears support stockings for varicose veins.

support British  

/ səˈpɔːt /

verb

1. to carry the weight of

2. to bear or withstand (pressure, weight, etc)

3. to provide the necessities of life for (a family, person, etc)

4. to tend to establish (a theory, statement, etc) by providing new facts; substantiate

5. to speak in favour of (a motion)

6. to give aid or courage to

7. to give approval to (a cause, principle, etc); subscribe to

   to support a political candidature

8. to endure with forbearance

   I will no longer support bad behaviour

9. to give strength to; maintain

   to support a business

10. (tr) (in a concert) to perform earlier than (the main attraction)

11. films theatre

    1. to play a subordinate role to

    2. to accompany (the feature) in a film programme

12. to act or perform (a role or character)

---

noun

1. the act of supporting or the condition of being supported

2. a thing that bears the weight or part of the weight of a construction

3. a person who or thing that furnishes aid

4. the means of maintenance of a family, person, etc

5. a band or entertainer not topping the bill

6. an actor or group of actors playing subordinate roles

7. med an appliance worn to ease the strain on an injured bodily structure or part

8. the solid material on which a painting is executed, such as canvas

9. See athletic support

Usage

What are other ways to say support?

To support something, as a structure or heavy load, is to bear it or hold it up. To support a person is to supply them with things necessary to existence, or to keep their spirits or courage up under trial or affliction. How is support different from maintain, sustain, and uphold? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• presupport
  noun
• undersupport
  noun
• nonsupporting
  adjective
• prosupport
  adjective
• quasi-supported
  adjective
• supportless
  adjective
• unsupported
  adjective
• unsupporting
  adjective
• well-supported
  adjective
• supportingly
  adverb
• unsupportedly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• support
  plural

Participles

• supporting
  present
• supported
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• support
  simple
• supports
  simple
• have supported
  perfect
• has supported
  perfect
• am supporting
  progressive
• are supporting
  progressive
• is supporting
  progressive
• have been supporting
  perfect progressive
• has been supporting
  perfect progressive

Past

• supported
  simple
• had supported
  perfect
• was supporting
  progressive
• were supporting
  progressive
• had been supporting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will support
  simple
• will have supported
  perfect
• will be supporting
  progressive
• will have been supporting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of support

First recorded in 1350–1400; (for the verb) Middle English supporten, from Middle French supporter, from Medieval Latin supportāre “to endure” ( Latin: “to convey”), from sup- sup- + portāre “to carry” ( see port ⁵); noun derivative of the verb

Explanation

The verb support means to bear weight or load, or otherwise support. If you build a house with blocks, you can safely remove some of them, but if you remove one that is supporting the weight of the blocks above it, the whole structure can collapse. Timber! If you agree with or approve of a cause, person, idea, or the like, you support it. If you support a certain charity, you may donate your time or money to the cause. The verb support also means to strengthen with new evidence; to corroborate. When politicians make an argument, they support it by providing "facts and figures." Your job is to figure out whether their evidence has been twisted to support their positions. Good luck.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

support supports supported supporting

It works to provide support for disadvantaged children vulnerable to falling into crime.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

The system appears to carry fluid and waste away from the back of the eye and into the lymphatic network, which helps the body maintain fluid balance, remove waste, and support immune defenses.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

"For every job inside a Google data centre we support nine additional jobs in the surrounding community," he added.

From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026

The programme includes face-to-face workshops and informal peer support social groups and covers a range of topics, including managing anxiety and stress and boosting self-esteem.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

“You should also think about who you’d like to have as a support person at the conference with you.”

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

Aaron is part of a men's bereavement campaign run by the charity 2wish, external, which supports those affected by sudden death in young people.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Currently, according to this website, such a ladder supports an inflation-adjusted payout rate of 5.2% per year until 2056.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

HSP70 helps cells respond to stress and supports tissue repair, while midkine helps regulate inflammation and protect joint tissue from degeneration.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

The company said it supports legislation focused on addressing pilot mental health, which recently advanced in Congress.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

The vertical structure supports the high-gain antenna for direct communication of Viking 2 with Earth.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

More than 700 club members voted on Thursday to keep the men-only bar and set up a separate space for women, against 200 who supported the idea of opening up the men’s bar to everyone.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

Reporting for this article was supported with a grant by the Fund for Investigative Journalism.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026

His family had been informed and were being supported by officers, it added.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

The Schmidt Ocean Institute supported the expeditions, along with a National Geographic Society research grant.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

In the middle of the space, a single spotlight illuminated a curved sword, its blade bare and supported by two silk-covered wedges.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

“She hopes the focus remains on supporting survivors and making sure people who have experienced sexual violence know they are seen, heard and supported.”

From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026

Nikon said it came to the decision "after thoroughly re-evaluating the video and supporting materials and consulting with members of our judging panel".

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

Malaysia’s statistics department will release preliminary third-quarter GDP data at noon on Friday, offering a broader picture of how demand for electronics is supporting the region’s growth.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

The super PAC last month announced four House Democrats and four Republican Senate candidates that it’s supporting in the Nov. 3 general election.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

Tennessee’s governor, Albert H. Roberts, was up for reelection, and he knew that supporting suffrage would cost him votes in a tight election.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Related Words

• aid
• approve
• assist
• back
• bolster
• boost
• endorse
• establish
• help
• hold
• justify
• maintain
• promote
• side with
• uphold