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

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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

Agata, who has three children, said that she had received "massive support" from the charity.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Markets are still pricing in a hike at the Fed’s next meeting, but the odds of a hold are rising—a shift that could support bullion, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Journalists covering last month's youth-led protests in India became targets of public anger and attacks over their perceived support for the government, exposing a deepening crisis of trust in traditional broadcasters.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

“Many of you have reached out with concern for Perez, and we are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of love, support, and prayers,” the statement issued via Hilton’s online gossip site read.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

“Gabe, you and your support people can wait here,” he says, and closes the door.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

Haigh said: "These new rules will ensure the £90 billion that is spent each year through government contracts supports British jobs, skills and people in every postcode."

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

Arsenal have a leadership group that supports club captain Odegaard but, with the addition of Guimaraes, they will be bringing in a player who is a natural leader.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

It added that the U.S. “appreciates Taiwan’s partnership in maritime security and safety, and supports Taiwan’s meaningful contributions on global issues including maritime law enforcement exchange and international cooperation.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Carlos Singer, chief policy officer for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, said in written comments submitted ahead of Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting that the chamber supports “the motion’s core relief provision.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

He looked into the tool shed and patted the four-by-four supports.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

"Since the attack, Assi has campaigned for justice for Abdallah's killing, advocated for journalist safety, and supported a rehabilitation program for people with similar life-altering injuries."

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

Last year, a report from Oxford Economics said YouTube content creators contributed £2.2bn to the UK economy in 2024 and supported 45,000 jobs.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

The NCAA’s major conferences have all publicly supported passage of the bill, as well.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

In one group, the device was placed on a stand supported by an adjustable table, encouraging participants to remain upright.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026

On April 17, 1961, supported by the CIA and by planes flown by American pilots, a force of 1,400 Cuban exiles opposed to Castro landed at the Bay of Pigs.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

The prime minister will overhaul the £90bn public procurement system so bidders have to show they are supporting young people into work and addressing local skills shortages.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

Pretax profit increased across the bank’s four key segments, rising especially sharply in the business of supporting affluent clients with their finances.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Pizarro also told analysts that without legislation supporting the utilities, Edison’s credit rating could be downgraded.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

"We remain committed to supporting all possible efforts to locate and recover them, whenever conditions allow, so that they too may be returned home to their loved ones," it added.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

“Maybe I haven’t been—I haven’t done the best job supporting you. I see that now. But believe it or not, up until this moment, I really thought I was doing the right thing.”

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

Related Words

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