support
Americanverb (used with object)
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supports,
present (3rd person singular)
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supported,
past participle, past
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supporting
present participle
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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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support
plural
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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
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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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:
A Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens that same year found that 16% use chatbots for casual conversations while 12% rely on it for emotional support or advice.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
In her later statement, she said this was a joke and suggested it was not intended to show she did not support Mahmood's reforms.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
The UN and its humanitarian partners launched a $49.6 million emergency appeal after the Nepal disaster, and the United States announced $31 million in new flood recovery support in September.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
“Inflation can encourage demand for wealth preservation, but it can also support higher interest rates,” he says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
She survived on the pittance the Kane family paid to keep her quiet, probably with extra support from family and old friends.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
"We are here to proclaim Luque's innocence, not with television slogans, but with the evidence that supports it," Rallin said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026
Vitamin C supports the activity of this enzyme, which helps maintain normal patterns of gene regulation.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2026
The fund supports projects locally with Manx Wildlife Trust and internationally, including work in the Pantanal, where wild capybaras live.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
Even for all of Madrone’s misgivings, he supports the trail.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
“Regrettable. And understandable. I have a younger sister myself. Your mistress, am I to assume she supports the rebel cause?”
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
The UK Gun Hall in Telford, run by German defence firm Rheinmetall, has supported 100 jobs and will make barrels and breaches for large calibre weapons.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
The price action in the Treasury market seems to be well supported by trade flows, he added.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026
Following their 2010 proposal, Müller spent 15 years pursuing the idea, with part of the research supported by the National Institutes of Health.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026
Asian currencies consolidated against the dollar, but may be supported by mild appetite for risk assets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
The four other archers leaped off their horses and came toward where Anya and Ivan supported Håkon.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
She won an Academy Award for best supporting actress for playing Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love in 1999, and became internationally recognised for her portrayal of "M", James Bond's boss.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
In exchange for the Pentagon's 10-year commitment, Lockheed Martin will fund $7 billion in projects supporting the F-35s, the Pentagon said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
The claim remains unconfirmed, with French media reporting that prosecutors have no information supporting it having happened.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
While playing on more than 200 recordings, he helped to both diligently shape and liberally loosen modern jazz’s contours, instigating or supporting quite a few moments of innovation across generations and musical movements.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
Mutually supporting and interlocking, these diverse elements made possible the Scientific Revolution.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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