Meaning of support in English

support

verb [ T ]

/səˈpɔːrt/ uk

/səˈpɔːt/

support verb [T] (ENCOURAGE)

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to agree with and give encouragement to someone or something because you want him, her, or it to succeed:

My father supported the Democratic Party all his life.

The majority of people in the town strongly support the plans to build a new school.

I think it's important to support local businesses by buying locally.

[ + obj + to infinitive ] We will always do our best to support our students to succeed.

Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples

to say yes to a suggestion or idea

agreeI suggested they seek legal counsel and they agreed.
acceptI have no choice but to accept the ruling of the court.
acquiesceThe police acquiesced to the rebels' demands.
assentBy signing, you assent to the terms of the contract.
consentI consent to a search of my vehicle.

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B1 mainly UK

(US usually root for)

If you support a sports team or a sports player, you want them to win, and might show it by going to watch them play:

Which team do you support?

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I don't support the death penalty, but if people are going to be executed, it should be done humanely.
The mass of the people support the government's reforms.
All those who support this proposal say "Aye."
Although I support the project in public, my private opinion is that it will fail.
Her speech failed to sway her colleagues into supporting the plan.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Backing, supporting & defending

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Encouraging and urging on

support verb [T] (HELP)

to help someone emotionally or in a practical way:

Alcoholics Anonymous is a group which supports people who are trying to stop drinking too much alcohol.

My family has always supported me in whatever I've wanted to do.

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Judging by what he said, I think it's very unlikely that he'll be able to support your application.
I thought he wasn't going to support me, but I misjudged him.
Many Americans felt it was their patriotic duty to buy bonds to support the war effort.
I felt a sense of betrayal when my friends refused to support me.
The organization has peddled the myth that they are supporting the local population.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Backing, supporting & defending

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support verb [T] (PROVIDE)

to give a person the money they need in order to buy food and clothes and pay for somewhere to live:

He has a wife and four children to support.

If you support an activity or a habit, you provide the money needed to pay for it:

The drug company is supporting cancer research.

I don't know how they manage to support their expensive lifestyle.

Some drug addicts turn to crime in order to support their habit.

to provide the right conditions, such as enough food and water, for life:

The land is so poor here that it cannot support any crops.

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The great and the good are calling on the government to support the arts.
She needs a pretty high income to support her lifestyle.
My starting salary as a newly qualified teacher wasn't enough to support a family.
Charities depend on people supporting their activities.
This play is supported by a grant from the local arts council.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Trusts & funds

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Backing, supporting & defending

Paying money

support verb [T] (STOP FROM FALLING)

to hold something firmly or carry its weight, especially from below to stop it from falling:

The church dome is supported by/on marble pillars.

When babies first learn to stand, they hold on to something to support themselves (= to stop themselves from falling).

My ankle is weak, so I always put a bandage on it to support it when I play tennis.

figurative The Federal Reserve has taken measures to support the dollar (= to stop it from being reduced in value).

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The frame needs to be strong enough to support the engine assembly .
Use bamboo canes to support tomato plants.
The stakes are pushed or hammered into the ground and can be used for marking an area, supporting a plant or forming part of a fence.
Carefully tighten the clamp until it firmly supports the pipette in a vertical position.
A row of reinforced concrete pillars supports the bridge.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Physical supports and supporting

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support verb [T] (PROVE)

to help to show something to be true:

These figures support my argument.

You can't make a statement like that without any supporting documentation.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Proving and disproving

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support verb [T] (ACCEPT)

UK formal

to accept something and allow it to happen:

The headteacher told the boys that he would not support that kind of behavior.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Allowing and permitting

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Tolerating and enduring

support

noun

/səˈpɔːrt/ uk

/səˈpɔːt/

support noun (ENCOURAGEMENT)

B2 [ U ]

agreement with and encouragement for an idea, group, or person:

Environmental groups are fast gaining support among young people.

We've succeeded in drumming up a lot of local support for our attempt to stop the superstore being built.

I signed a petition in support of the campaign to end the marketing of baby formula in developing countries.

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The Democratic Party has lost a lot of support among the working class.
The postal workers have come out in support of their pay claim.
The government's concentration on tax reduction has won them a lot of support.
There is a growing current of support for green issues among voters.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Backing, supporting & defending

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support noun (HELP)

B1 [ C or U ]

emotional or practical help:

Liz gave me a lot of support when I lost my job.

You've been a great support to my mom in this difficult time.

Synonyms

to someone's aid
assistance
help 
relief
succor  US literary

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Our success is contingent upon your support.
The president's support is critical (to this project).
Can I bank on your support?
There was a quaver in her voice as she thanked her staff for all their support.
I'm reckoning on your continued support.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Backing, supporting & defending

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support noun (MONEY)

B2 [ U ]

the money someone needs in order to buy food and clothes and pay for somewhere to live:

He is dependent on his father for support .

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The annual cost of income support to unmarried mothers amounted to $700 million in that year.
Farmers are eligible for government support if they let a certain amount of land lie fallow.
Will financial support for the theater project be forthcoming?
Is there any hope of getting financial support for the project?
They are young inexperienced parents and need support.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Backing, supporting & defending

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Trusts & funds

support noun (HOLDING)

[ C or U ]

something that holds something firmly or carries its weight, especially from below to stop it from falling:

The floor is held up by wooden supports.

I've hurt my wrist, so I've bandaged it to give it some support.

[ C ]

a device worn to hold part of the body, especially a weak part, firmly in position:

Jim always wears a knee support when he goes running.

dreamsquare/iStock/Getty Image Plus/GettyImages

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Because of an unusually strong current, the bridge's central support gave way, tipping a coach into the river.
When restoring the building, the first priority was to underpin the exterior walls by adding wooden supports along the foundations.
The mattress has hundreds of small springs to provide extra support for the back.
Always provide support for the baby's head.
The shelf was held in place by two brick supports.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Physical supports and supporting

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Medical dressings, supports & devices

support noun (PROOF)

[ U ]

something that shows that a fact is true:

This new evidence lends support to the theory that she was murdered.

We had to send a doctor's report in support of our claim to the insurance company.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Proving and disproving

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support noun (PERFORMER)

[ S or U ]

a performer or band (= group of musicians) that performs before the main one in a concert or other performance:

The band toured Australia in December 2001 as the support for Judas Priest.

The concert will start at 8pm prompt and there is no support.

Synonyms

opener
support act
support band

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Groups of musicians

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(Definition of support from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

support | Intermediate English

support

verb [ T ]

/səˈpɔrt, -ˈpoʊrt/

support verb [T] (ENCOURAGE)

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to give encouragement and approval to someone or something because you want the person or thing to succeed:

The president strongly supported Egypt’s role in the negotiations.

support verb [T] (HELP)

to help someone or something in an emotional or practical way:

My family always supported me in whatever I wanted to do.

Many companies support public television very generously.

support verb [T] (PROVIDE)

to provide someone with money or physical things that are needed:

She has to work at two jobs to support her family.

support verb [T] (PROVE)

to show or seem to prove something to be true:

New research supports the theory.

support verb [T] (STOP FROM FALLING)

to hold something firmly or bear its weight, esp. from below, to stop it from falling:

The pole is supported by wires.

support

noun

/səˈpɔrt, -ˈpoʊrt/

support noun (HELP)

[ U ]

emotional or practical help:

I got a lot of support from my friends and colleagues.

support noun (PROVIDING MONEY)

[ U ]

money or physical things that are provided to someone who needs them:

The government promised financial support to the areas affected by the flooding.

support noun (PROOF)

[ U ]

information or facts that prove something to be true; proof:

He produced charts and graphs in support of his argument.

support noun (ENCOURAGEMENT)

[ U ]

approval and encouragement given to someone or something:

The senator voiced his support for making health care available to all.

support noun (HOLDING THINGS UP)

[ C/U ]

something that holds something firmly or bears its weight, to stop it from falling:

[ C ] The floor is held up by wooden supports.

[ U ] You may have to use crutches for support while your ankle heals.

(Definition of support from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

support | Business English

support

verb [ T ]

/səˈpɔːt/ us

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to show that you agree with someone or something and want to encourage them:

If your boss raises any objections, I'm willing to support you.

I don't support the idea of outsourcing the work.

to help someone, or offer help with something, when this is needed:

Unfortunately the company can no longer support this software.

We offer insight into how to build a service strategy to support your growth objectives.

We'll do all we can to support our customers during this difficult period.

to give a person the money they need in order to buy food and clothes and pay for somewhere to live:

My starting salary wasn't enough to support a family.

if you support an activity, you provide money for it:

The drug company is supporting cancer research.

I don't know how they manage to support their expensive lifestyle.

We are calling on the Government to support the arts.

to hold something firmly or carry its weight, especially from below to stop it from falling:

The frame needs to be strong enough to support the engine assembly.

to stop something from falling in value, or becoming less strong:

The Bank of England has taken measures to support the pound.

to help to show that something is true:

These figures support my argument.

You can't make a statement like that without any supporting documentation.

support

noun [ U ]

/səˈpɔːt/ us

agreement with and encouragement for an idea, group, or person:

support for sb/sth There was little support for the proposal among the Board members present.

in support of sth The postal workers have come out on strike in support of their pay claim.

Environmental groups are fast gaining support among young people.

The new legislation received widespread support.

emotional or practical help:

We are going to need a lot of support if we want to get this job done on time.

support for sb/sth Is there any hope of getting financial support for the project?

the act of stopping something falling in value or becoming less strong:

support for sth The Bank has promised support for the ailing currency.

something that helps to show that something is true:

support for sth These new facts gave me some support for my interpretation.

in support of sth Do you have any data in support of your theory?

Examples of support

support

We don't want his support, and we don't want the support of people who think like him.

From The New Yorker

I think they tried to help, but that doesn't mean a thing if there is not good support.

From ABC News

Others became fathers to children they couldn't support.

From CNN

I hope many such people come forward and unite to support this cause.

From National Geographic

He makes about $1 or $2 a day, with which he needs to support his family of five.

From NPR

There are great artists who can't support themselves and it's a tragedy.

From Billboard

Then, tell us in the comments whether you'll be supporting the new yogurt in town.

From Huffington Post

He pays more than $300 each month in child support to an ex-partner.

From NBCNews.com

For 8 years we went to therapy, support groups etc.

From New York Post

Usually, he always found it in support of what he wanted to do.

From CNN

And who will win their all-important support in 2012?

From Slate Magazine

I feel that the city is very engaged to support the various religions and make them feel at home.

From Huffington Post

I don't see how anyone can support him!

From CNN

They will take his money through child support and by hand, but they will not allow him to see his kids when he wants them.

From Chicago Tribune

And if we only support the things that are new, then we have lost all the wisdom that has been preserved over the ages.

From Huffington Post

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

Collocations with support

support

These are words often used in combination with support.

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additional support

According to this characterisation, bare survival is possible in settlements, but any meaningful developmental activity requires additional support and relocation away from them.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

adequate support

The musical foundation established during the early years, therefore, needs to provide adequate support for future musical development and learning.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

administrative support

Improvements in physician and nurse ratings of interdisciplinary care, residency education, house staff attitudes, and administrative support have been reported (11;16;24).

From the Cambridge English Corpus

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What is the pronunciation of support?