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to support

to support

1.0
Give help to a person or idea
  • verb
  • /səˈpɔrt/
translation icon : apoyar
  • Is it important for your partner to support your hobbies?
  • support students
  • support teachers
  • support learning

And said, we don't support you guys.

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Examples

  • She went over and beyond to support me and she never changed.

  • And, as a producer, I will always try to support you.

  • Will the Prime Minister support a Lying in Politics Bill?

  • We're all here to support you.

  • That means that they work for and support both Houses of Parliament.

  • The creation of this toolkit will directly support the goals of our new strategic plan.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Such positive support from educators may set the foundation to support positive adjustment in school.

    Academic text (2015)
  • We illustrate how teachers use language purposefully to support students' understanding of critical social issues.

    Academic text (2012)
  • The Nimiipuu fashioned their Indigenous society to primarily support and reproduce households while safeguarding the environment.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Will you support our school's initiative to plant more trees in the community?

Synonyms

to encourage
vsto support
2.3

Give someone support and confidence so they try or keep doing something

also includes actions like defending or providing material help, not only morale
to back
vsto support
932 1.0

To support someone or something

is broader and can include informal or practical help as well as approval
to defend
vsto support
691 2.8

To speak up to support a person or idea when others criticize it

covers many backing forms beyond arguing, such as practical help or praise
to help out
vsto support
  • Informal
486 1.0

To do something for someone who cannot do it alone

is wider, including ongoing backing and emotional or official approval
to be there for
vsto support
  • Informal
443 2.7

To help and support someone when they are going through a hard time

is more general and can include non-emotional, practical, or formal help
to back up
vsto support
354 3.0

Help someone or show evidence for an idea

is a general act of help, not only proving or supplying evidence
to endorse
vsto support
183 4.2

To publicly show support for a person or idea

is not limited to public or official approval and includes private help
to help someone out
vsto support
  • Informal
182 1.3

Give someone support with a task or problem when they need it

also covers encouragement, moral backing, or formal agreement beyond help
to subscribe
vsto support
57 3.9

Support a belief or idea

is wider and may include practical help, protection, or public approval
to offer support
vsto support
28 2.7

To give help to someone during a difficult time

also includes non practical backing such as agreement or moral approval
to support each other
vsto support
20 2.6

To help and encourage each other during difficult times

is a single party giving help, not necessarily mutual or reciprocal
to lend a helping hand
vsto support
  • Informal
6 2.7

To give someone support with a task or problem

can mean any kind of backing, not only direct physical assistance
to get someone's back
vsto support
  • Informal
3 5.5

To help and protect someone when things are difficult

is broader and may mean simple approval or nonprotective assistance
to plump for
vsto support
  • UK
1 7.3

Choose someone or something after thinking about other options

is a general act of help or approval, not only selection after thought
to indorse
vsto support
  • Archaic
7.9

To show public support for someone or something

covers both private and public forms of help and approval
to plunk for
vsto support
  • Informal
8.5

To choose to support someone, often by voting

is general help or approval and not limited to choice situations

Antonyms

2.9

To be against something and try to stop it

773 3.1

Leave someone or something behind permanently and without care

Idioms

Kept alive by machines after a serious illness or kept working only with little help

Phrasal Verbs

To give help to someone during a difficult time

To help and encourage each other during difficult times

To stop giving help and approval to a person or group

To ask people or groups for help when you need it

To make people excited and ready to help a cause

To come together to help someone or a cause

Help someone reach their goals in life

Compounds

111 2.7

Money a parent must pay to the parent who cares for their children after separation to help with living costs

66 2.8

A group of people who meet regularly to give each other help and advice about a shared problem

57 3.2

Equipment that supplies air, water, and other needs in dangerous places

life support
  • Specialized
42 3.4

Medical machines that keep a person alive by helping them breathe or keeping the heart working

35 4.1

Aircraft that help soldiers on the ground during fighting

Money given to help pay for a project, charity, or person

A group of people who help and encourage you in hard times

13 3.5

Help that keeps someone going in hard times, like care from family

life-support system
  • Specialized
13 4.0

Equipment that keeps a person alive by doing the body's most important jobs

Not enough help from people or groups

A team at a company that helps people with problems and questions about products or services

7 3.5

A regular payment one person gives to help pay for a child or former partner

life-support
  • Specialized
6 3.8

Used for machines or methods that keep a very sick person alive

price support
  • Specialized
4 4.3

Government payments that keep the price people pay for a product like milk or wheat at a set minimum

support system
  • Specialized
3 3.4

A set of tools and software that help customers with problems

2 3.1

A part of a shoe that holds up the curved middle of the foot

1 4.4

Stockings that help blood move in the legs and reduce pressure on veins

logistic support
  • Specialized
1 3.5

Help that gives supplies, vehicles, and services for military or disaster missions

support level
  • Specialized
1 5.8

A price where a falling stock often stops because people start to buy it

support column
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A vertical post that holds heavy weight in a building or bridge

close support
  • Specialized
1 7.3

Help for soldiers from nearby troops that attack the enemy

1 6.4

Help from one government department to another with things like transport or paperwork

Full loyal help and agreement without any doubt

A phone line customers call for help with products or services

7.4

Help from one military unit to another that answers the other unit's requests for help

Help given by a company or maker straight to a customer

Actions that use electronic signals to find enemy radar or radio and help commanders spot immediate threats

Help between departments with tasks like moving things and office work

6.6

A system that organizes and shares supplies and support among groups for a joint operation

Agreements between countries to move and share supplies and equipment during military or disaster relief missions

inter-service support
  • Specialized
4.5

Help that one branch of the military gives another with supplies and paperwork

A part of the U.S. Treasury that shares intelligence with officials who work on other countries' money and trade

Information and help to prevent people from killing themselves and support those affected

8.4

A computer program that learns from examples to put data into groups or predict values

8.1

A computer method that finds a clear boundary to separate different groups of data

support stocking
  • Specialized
4.0

A tight stretchy piece of clothing for the leg that lowers pressure in veins and reduces swelling

How Supportive

to champion
64 4.2
to back
932 1.0
to support
1.0
to approve
1.6
to encourage
2.3

Surface Forms

support infinitive
supported past
supported past participle
supporting present participle
supports third person singular

Etymology

The word support comes from the Latin parts sub- 'under' and portare 'to carry', the same idea behind words like portable and transport. So to support someone is like 'carrying' them from below—giving them help or backing.