support

Formssupports, supporting, supported

Pluralsupports

1. 1
   be in favorverbtransitive

   To back or favor a cause, party, or person, either mentally or with concrete aid.

   Many voters support the candidate's stance on clean energy.

   Local businesses supported the campaign with both money and volunteers.

   Similarback, endorse, champion, favor, advocate

   Oppositeoppose

   Note

   Besides causes and candidates, it covers loyalty to a team: I support France in the World Cup. Nothing need be given except allegiance, so this use sits at the mental end of backing rather than the material one.

2. 2
   assistancenouncountable or uncountable

   Financial or other help given to a person or group.

   The new mother relied on financial support from her parents.

   Volunteers offered support to the flood victims throughout the winter.

   UsageUsually no a: financial support, emotional support; you give support to or get support from someone.

   Similarhelp, assistance, aid, backing, encouragement

3. 3
   hold up (weight)verbtransitive

   To hold up and help keep something from falling.

   Thick concrete pillars support the entire weight of the overpass.

   She put an arm around him to support him as he limped to the car.

   UsageOften support the weight of something; hold up is the plainer everyday word.

   Similarbear, uphold, undergird, underprop

4. 4
   sponsorverbtransitive

   To help a person, group, or activity by providing money, resources, or practical assistance.

   Several grants support the research lab's daily operations.

   The city supported the new theater with public funds.

   UsageOften support someone or something with money or funds: supported the theater with public funds.

   Similarfund, finance, sponsor, back, subsidize

5. 5
   provide forverbtransitive

   To provide the food, money, or care that keeps someone alive and well.

   A single income barely supports a family of five these days.

   Farmers must support their households through unpredictable harvests.

   UsageOften support a family; a place or a crop can also support people or life.

   Similarsustain, maintain, keep, feed

   Note

   Places and crops can be the subject as easily as earners: a planet may not support human habitation, and a grain can support a whole people. Samuel Johnson used this sense in A Dictionary of the English Language (1755), in his barbed definition of oats as a grain given to horses in England, "but in Scotland supports the people." Source

   Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

   • Samuel Johnson wrote A Dictionary of the English Language. en.wikipedia.org
   • The dictionary was first published in 1755. cah.ucf.edu
   • The wording is “but in Scotland supports the people,” without “which.” herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk
6. 6
   propnouncountable or uncountablebefore a noun

   Something that holds another thing up or keeps it steady, such as a pillar, beam, or brace; in engineering, the fixed, hinged, or movable point by which a structure is held in position.

   Engineers checked the support holding up the old balcony.

   Years of weight finally cracked the bridge's main support.

   UsageCommon compounds: support beam, support column, support cable.

   Similarprop, brace

7. 7
   back up (claim)verbtransitive

   To provide evidence for something or make it more believable.

   The fossil record supports the theory of gradual change.

   Several studies support the claim that exercise improves mood.

   UsageEvidence or studies support a claim; often negative: not enough to support the charges.

   Similarcorroborate, substantiate, verify, establish, attest

   Oppositecontradict, undermine, refute, disprove

   Note

   Jonathan Edwards pairs it with demonstrate in The Freedom of the Will (1754), weighing whether certain arguments could prove a whole scheme of moral philosophy. The sense is at home in law and science, where evidence supports a charge, a claim, or a theory.

8. 8
   work with (tech)verbtransitive

   Of a device, program, or programming language, to be built to work with a particular part, file type, program, or the like.

   The new browser supports the latest video formats.

   Most modern printers support wireless connections out of the box.

   UsageThe device or program is the subject: a browser supports a format; often negative: it doesn't support that.

   Similaraccommodate, enable, run

   Note

   Run and play are narrower: a computer runs a program and a device plays a file. Support claims only that the two were built to work together.

9. 9
   customer servicenouncountable or uncountable

   Help that answers questions and solves problems for something you bought.

   Customers praised the company's fast technical support.

   The subscription includes round-the-clock support for all users.

   UsageOften technical support or customer support; you contact support when something goes wrong.

   Similarassistance, help, service

10. 10
    compatibilitynouncountable or uncountable

    The built-in ability of software or hardware to work with a particular product, format, or feature.

    The operating system added support for the latest graphics cards.

    Developers dropped support for the outdated file format.

    UsageEither support for a format or the feature first, mouse support; products add or drop support.

    Similarcompatibility

11. 11
    evidencenouncountable or uncountable

    Evidence that gives weight to a claim or idea.

    The new study lends scientific support to the hypothesis.

    Critics noted the report offered scant support for its conclusions.

    UsageCommon in lend support to an idea and find support for it; also little or scant support.

    Similarevidence, backing, corroboration, confirmation

12. 12
    minor actornouncountable or uncountable

    An actor who plays a subordinate part alongside a star performer.

    The play's support was so strong that the famous lead barely stood out.

    As the support, she stole nearly every scene from the star.

    Oppositelead, star

13. 13
    endorsementnoununcountable

    Backing for a person, cause, idea or proposal, shown by agreeing with it or approving of it.

    The senator has won the support of several unions ahead of the primary.

    Thousands marched downtown in support of the climate bill.

    Similarbacking, endorsement, approval

    Oppositeopposition

    Note

    The prepositions sort out who backs what. Support for points to the thing being backed (public support for the plan), the support of names the backers (the support of several unions), and in support of describes an action taken on something's behalf, such as a march or a vote. It is about agreement rather than money; financial or practical help is the neighboring meaning.

Showing meanings only. Show all 18