support
Americanverb (used with object)
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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.
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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.
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to encourage, comfort, help, etc., under trial or affliction; sustain.
They supported him throughout his ordeal.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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to maintain or advocate (a theory, principle, etc.).
Many viewers support the theory that the housekeeper will turn out to be the murderer.
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to corroborate (a statement, opinion, etc.).
Leading doctors supported his testimony.
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to act with or second (a lead performer); assist in performance.
The star was supported by a talented newcomer.
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to undergo or endure, especially with patience or submission; tolerate.
How do you support the constant drama in this office?
noun
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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.
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something that serves as a foundation, prop, brace, or stay.
Those L-brackets are the supports for the shelf.
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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
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a person or thing that supports, as financially.
The pension was his only support.
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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.
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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.
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Computers. regular updates, troubleshooting, service, etc., by a manufacturer for a piece of software or hardware.
Support for this application has been withdrawn.
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an actor, actress, or group performing with a lead performer.
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the material, such as canvas or wood, on which a picture is painted.
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Stock Exchange. support level.
adjective
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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.
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(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
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to carry the weight of
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to bear or withstand (pressure, weight, etc)
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to provide the necessities of life for (a family, person, etc)
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to tend to establish (a theory, statement, etc) by providing new facts; substantiate
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to speak in favour of (a motion)
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to give aid or courage to
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to give approval to (a cause, principle, etc); subscribe to
to support a political candidature
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to endure with forbearance
I will no longer support bad behaviour
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to give strength to; maintain
to support a business
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(tr) (in a concert) to perform earlier than (the main attraction)
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films theatre
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to play a subordinate role to
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to accompany (the feature) in a film programme
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to act or perform (a role or character)
noun
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the act of supporting or the condition of being supported
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a thing that bears the weight or part of the weight of a construction
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a person who or thing that furnishes aid
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the means of maintenance of a family, person, etc
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a band or entertainer not topping the bill
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an actor or group of actors playing subordinate roles
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med an appliance worn to ease the strain on an injured bodily structure or part
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the solid material on which a painting is executed, such as canvas
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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
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presupportnoun
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undersupportnoun
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nonsupportingadjective
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prosupportadjective
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quasi-supportedadjective
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supportlessadjective
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unsupportedadjective
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unsupportingadjective
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well-supportedadjective
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supportinglyadverb
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unsupportedlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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supportsimple
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supportssimple
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have supportedperfect
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has supportedperfect
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am supportingprogressive
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are supportingprogressive
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is supportingprogressive
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have been supportingperfect progressive
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has been supportingperfect progressive
Past
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supportedsimple
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had supportedperfect
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was supportingprogressive
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were supportingprogressive
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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:
Individual molecules assemble into larger bundles, which then form the fibers that support the skin.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
Since then, it has spread to cities across India, drawing support from students, professionals, activists and opposition politicians.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
"This order will support their growth ambitions well into the next decade and reflects our strong confidence in the Boeing 737 MAX and sustained demand for fuel-efficient, technologically advanced narrowbody aircraft," he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
Monday’s march to the Parliament was set to be led by 59-year-old activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has led protests in the past in support for more rights for his home region in northern India.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
After decades of mixing with the soil underneath and becoming enriched by animal and plant decomposition, the ash and mud were finally able to support large plants.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
However, it only works if an employer-sponsored retirement plan supports after-tax contributions and allows Roth conversions or in-service rollovers.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
The steelworks employs about 2,700 people and supports other industries in North Lincolnshire, but has faced significant uncertainty over the last few years.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
But under current law, he said, an out-of-state doctor can have a video conference with a patient and that patient’s in-state doctor, and he supports that practice.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
This process, called endocytosis, supports learning, memory, and the routine maintenance of neurons.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026
Shadow pushed the gurney, and the supports snapped up, the wheels rotated, and the gurney rolled right on to the floor of the hearse.
From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman
This work was supported by a $287,236 award from the Cure Alzheimer's Fund.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
While respondents generally supported modest reforms, like temporarily freezing benefits or slowing cost-of-living adjustments, they opposed more substantial measures including broad benefit cuts, raising the retirement age or means-testing.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
She is supported by her local MP for Chatham and Aylesford, Tristan Osborne.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Jackson, in Raymond’s view, stands the best chance of keeping the coalition that supported Platner in the primary together, mostly because his platform has the most in common with what Platner ran on.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
Although John Glenn later supported women astronauts, at the time he said the fact that women were not in that field was a fact of our social order.
From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson
These cells perform many essential functions, including supporting neurons, maintaining the brain's environment, and responding to damage.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
At a press conference, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum jokingly asked journalists which team they were supporting in the final.
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
Last month Yamal became a goodwill ambassador for the group, focusing on the right to play and supporting children living through humanitarian emergencies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
But these state-of-the-art models are considered the best because they can “reason” through complex, multistep problems and are capable of supporting a variety of tasks, including powering autonomous AI agents.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
The nucleic acid in a chromosome, as one biochemist put it, was merely the “structure-determining, supporting substance”—a glorified molecular scaffold for genes.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
