supply

¹ American  

[suh-plahy] / səˈplaɪ /

verb (used with object)

supplied, supplying

1. to furnish or provide (a person, establishment, place, etc.) with what is lacking or requisite.

   to supply someone clothing;

   to supply a community with electricity.

2. to furnish or provide (something wanting or requisite).

   to supply electricity to a community.

3. to make up, compensate for, or satisfy (a deficiency, loss, need, etc.).

   The TVA supplied the need for cheap electricity.

4. to fill or occupy as a substitute, as a vacancy, a pulpit, etc..

   During the summer local clergymen will supply the pulpit.

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verb (used without object)

supplied, supplying

1. to fill the place of another, especially the pulpit of a church, temporarily or as a substitute.

   Who will supply until the new minister arrives?

noun

plural

supplies

1. the act of supplying, furnishing, providing, satisfying, etc..

   to begin the supply of household help.

2. something that is supplied.

   The storm cut off our water supply.

3. a quantity of something on hand or available, as for use; a stock or store.

   Did you see our new supply of shirts?

4. Usually supplies a provision, stock, or store of food or other things necessary for maintenance.

   to lay in supplies for the winter.

5. Economics. the quantity of a commodity that is in the market and available for purchase or that is available for purchase at a particular price.

6. Military. supplies,

   1. all items necessary for the equipment, maintenance, and operation of a military command, including food, clothing, arms, ammunition, fuel, materials, and machinery.

   2. procurement, distribution, maintenance, and salvage of supplies.

7. a person who fills a vacancy or takes the place of another, especially temporarily.

8. Obsolete. supplies. reinforcement.

9. Obsolete. aid.

supply ² American  

[suhp-lee] / ˈsʌp li /

adverb

1. in a supple manner or way; supplely.

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supply ¹ British  

/ səˈplaɪ /

verb

1. to furnish with something that is required

   to supply the community with good government

2. (tr; often foll by to or for) to make available or provide (something that is desired or lacking)

   to supply books to the library

3. (tr) to provide for adequately; make good; satisfy

   who will supply their needs?

4. to serve as a substitute, usually temporary, in (another's position, etc)

   there are no clergymen to supply the pulpit

5. (tr) to fill (a vacancy, position, etc)

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noun

1. 1. the act of providing or something that is provided

   2. ( as modifier )

      a supply dump

2. (often plural) an amount available for use; stock

3. (plural) food, equipment, etc, needed for a campaign or trip

4. economics

   1. willingness and ability to offer goods and services for sale

   2. the amount of a commodity that producers are willing and able to offer for sale at a specified price Compare demand

5. military

   1. the management and disposal of food and equipment

   2. ( as modifier )

      supply routes

6. (often plural) a grant of money voted by a legislature for government expenses, esp those not covered by other revenues

7. (in Parliament and similar legislatures) the money voted annually for the expenses of the civil service and armed forces

8. 1. a person who acts as a temporary substitute

   2. ( as modifier )

      a supply vicar

9. a source of electrical energy, gas, etc

10. obsolete aid or assistance

supply ² British  

/ ˈsʌplɪ, ˈsʌpəlɪ /

adverb

1. in a supple manner

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supply Cultural  

1. The amount of any given commodity available for sale at a given time.

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supply Idioms  

1. see in short supply.

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Usage

What is a basic definition of supply? The word supply is used as a verb to mean to provide something. As a noun, supply refers to a stockpile or quantity of something. Supply has several other senses as a verb or a noun. As a verb, supply means to give something. You might supply something in response to a request for that item, as when a clothing factory supplies a department store with new clothes in return for money. You might supply something that satisfies a need, as when plants supply us with oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis. Or you might supply something in order to make up for a deficiency, as when a food pantry supplies food for hungry people.

• Real-life examples: A hydroelectric dam can supply a city with electricity. Soup kitchens supply impoverished people with food. Nature often supplies water and sunlight to plants.
• Used in a sentence: The teacher supplied pencils and paper to the students.

As a noun, supply means an amount of something that has been stored up or stockpiled. For example, almost everyone keeps a supply of food in their house. The plural of supply is supplies and is used when more than one type of thing is being stored.

• Real-life examples: Hospitals keep a supply of blood to use for emergencies. It is a good idea to keep an ample supply of toilet paper so you never run out. Soldiers are often given a lot of supplies to carry with them in case of problems.
• Used in a sentence: The grocery story was running low on its supply of milk.

Other Word Forms

• suppliable adjective
• supplier noun
• unsupplied adjective
• well-supplied adjective

Etymology

Origin of supply¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb sup(p)lien “to fill up, complete,” from Middle French souplier, soupleer, ultimately from Latin supplēre “to fill up” (equivalent to sup- prefix + plēre “to fill”); noun derivative of the verb; see sup- full ¹

Origin of supply²

First recorded in 1525–35; supple + -ly

Explanation

To supply the definition of a word is to provide that definition. That's supply used as a verb. If you're talking about the noun, however, then the supply is the thing itself. People who think the world is coming to an end generally like to keep a supply of fresh water on hand. Though, if the world did come to an end, you wouldn't need to supply water to anyone, would you? That's a case of supplying a supply. If there is a big enough demand for ping-pong balls, a person could get rich, if they controlled the supply. Having to supply all those balls could be exhausting, though.

Example Sentences

The notion that America can interdict China’s oil supply and impair its access to crude is “stupid, stupid, stupid,” Papic emphasizes.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

For Beijing, the world’s top oil importer, Iran offers a discount supply of crude to help satisfy its huge demand.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

The International Energy Agency warned last week that Europe could run out of jet fuel in weeks, though the UK government and airlines say they are not seeing a disruption in supply.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

Knock-on effects, like supply chain snarls that are delaying delivery of vital base products, are weighing on industry, while consumers are facing higher costs, especially at the petrol pump.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

An endless supply of breadsticks won’t solve my problems.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Related Words

• afford
• cater
• contribute
• deliver
• equip
• feed
• fill
• find
• grant
• hand over
• produce
• store
• transfer
• turn over
• yield