support
Americanverb (used with object)
-
supports,
present (3rd person singular)
-
supported,
past participle, past
-
supporting
present participle
-
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.
-
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.
-
to encourage, comfort, help, etc., under trial or affliction; sustain.
They supported him throughout his ordeal.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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?
-
to maintain or advocate (a theory, principle, etc.).
Many viewers support the theory that the housekeeper will turn out to be the murderer.
-
to corroborate (a statement, opinion, etc.).
Leading doctors supported his testimony.
-
to act with or second (a lead performer); assist in performance.
The star was supported by a talented newcomer.
-
to undergo or endure, especially with patience or submission; tolerate.
How do you support the constant drama in this office?
noun
-
support
plural
-
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.
-
something that serves as a foundation, prop, brace, or stay.
Those L-brackets are the supports for the shelf.
-
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
-
a person or thing that supports, as financially.
The pension was his only support.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Computers. regular updates, troubleshooting, service, etc., by a manufacturer for a piece of software or hardware.
Support for this application has been withdrawn.
-
an actor, actress, or group performing with a lead performer.
-
the material, such as canvas or wood, on which a picture is painted.
-
Stock Exchange. support level.
adjective
-
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.
-
(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.
verb
-
to carry the weight of
-
to bear or withstand (pressure, weight, etc)
-
to provide the necessities of life for (a family, person, etc)
-
to tend to establish (a theory, statement, etc) by providing new facts; substantiate
-
to speak in favour of (a motion)
-
to give aid or courage to
-
to give approval to (a cause, principle, etc); subscribe to
to support a political candidature
-
to endure with forbearance
I will no longer support bad behaviour
-
to give strength to; maintain
to support a business
-
(tr) (in a concert) to perform earlier than (the main attraction)
-
films theatre
-
to play a subordinate role to
-
to accompany (the feature) in a film programme
-
-
to act or perform (a role or character)
noun
-
the act of supporting or the condition of being supported
-
a thing that bears the weight or part of the weight of a construction
-
a person who or thing that furnishes aid
-
the means of maintenance of a family, person, etc
-
a band or entertainer not topping the bill
-
an actor or group of actors playing subordinate roles
-
med an appliance worn to ease the strain on an injured bodily structure or part
-
the solid material on which a painting is executed, such as canvas
-
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
-
presupportnoun
-
undersupportnoun
-
nonsupportingadjective
-
prosupportadjective
-
quasi-supportedadjective
-
supportlessadjective
-
unsupportedadjective
-
unsupportingadjective
-
well-supportedadjective
-
supportinglyadverb
-
unsupportedlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
supportsimple
-
supportssimple
-
have supportedperfect
-
has supportedperfect
-
am supportingprogressive
-
are supportingprogressive
-
is supportingprogressive
-
have been supportingperfect progressive
-
has been supportingperfect progressive
Past
-
supportedsimple
-
had supportedperfect
-
was supportingprogressive
-
were supportingprogressive
-
had been supportingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing support
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The government said manufacturers were also expected to benefit from measures to reduce industrial electricity costs and support investment in the sector.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
Maintaining their own body heat would have helped T. rex remain active while hunting or scavenging enough food to support such a metabolism, Eagle said.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
I just had not done the work to build the support for that reform measure in the way that I should have.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026
Yields on the short-dated bonds have gone up a lot more, which tends to support the idea that the surge in yields is about the Fed raising interest rates in response to inflationary pressures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
And FDR was paralyzed by polio and used a wheelchair, but he kept it a secret by leaning on things—or his wife—for support or hiding his legs behind tablecloths.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
Penny Walters works for Feeding Britain which supports some of the most deprived families in the North East.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
Manufacturing generates $382 billion a year for California and supports 1.24 million jobs, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
The platform supports cross-border payments in more than 220 countries and territories through partner networks, including Ant Group’s Alipay+.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Truist’s bottom line is that the weight of the evidence supports staying aligned with the longer-term market uptrend.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
Much later, Pascal drew upon Galileo’s work when studying pressures in liquids in order to understand how the air supports a column of mercury in a barometer.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
My experience at the convention supported this more cynical view.
From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2026
Hundreds of micro-enterprise incubators, some supported by the government, are popping up in tech hubs like Hangzhou and Shenzhen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
Together, these fossils suggest that the ancient coastal environments of the region supported complex and highly diverse dinosaur ecosystems.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
He told a council meeting that signage around stations did not explain that concessionary travel would not be supported.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
When the church was threatened, it retreated into its old philosophy, turning back toward the Aristotelian doctrine that had supported it for so many years.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
The Treasury said it recognised the uncertainty facing workers and was supporting the automotive sector through grants, lower energy costs and investment in electric vehicle production.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
Genetic testing showed that his MAL gene was normal, supporting the conclusion that his antibody was acquired rather than caused by the rare inherited MAL deficiency.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
Macklemore was asked to leave the tour, and Sheeran’s other supporting acts quit in protest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
During the public meeting, the jaded panel members admitted several times that the science supporting the compounded substances was inadequate.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
They were reinforced with sandbags, with sheets of corrugated iron, with wooden frames supporting the raised earthen parapets that protected the soldiers from enemy fire.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
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.
