support

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of SUPPORT

to promote the interests or cause of <though childless themselves, they support the local schools both by volunteering and by fiercely opposing funding cuts>

Synonyms advocate, back, champion, endorse (also indorse), patronize, plump (for), plunk (for) or plonk (for)

Related Words adopt, embrace, espouse; abet, aid, assist, help, prop (up), second, side (with); backstop, bolster, boost, buttress, reinforce (also reenforce); advance, forward, further; plug, preach, talk up; bail out, deliver, rescue, save

Phrases go in for, go to bat for, hold a brief for, stand up for, stick up for

Near Antonyms baffle, foil, frustrate, interfere, oppose, sabotage, thwart; desert, disappoint, fail, let down

to pay the living expenses of <a young widow supporting a sick mother as well as two small children on a teacher's salary>

Synonyms keep, maintain, provide (for)

Related Words finance, fund, patronize, set up, sponsor, stake, underwrite

Phrases foot the bill (for), take care of

to hold up or serve as a foundation for <pillars supporting the bridge>

Synonyms bear, bolster, brace, buttress, carry, prop (up), shore (up), stay, sustain, undergird, underpin, uphold

Related Words steady, truss, underlie

to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) <studies that support the claim that red wine drinkers have a reduced risk of coronary disease and cancer>

Synonyms back, bolster, buttress, corroborate, reinforce (also reenforce), shore (up), substantiate

Related Words confirm, establish, prove, verify; affirm, avouch, validate

Near Antonyms undercut, undermine, weaken

to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections <we support the students' right to speak out on local issues that affect them>

Synonyms defend, justify, support, uphold

Near Antonyms abandon, abjure, forsake, recant, retract, take back, withdraw; reverse, switch; controvert, disprove, rebut, refute

to give evidence or testimony to the truth or factualness of <new evidence supports the original researchers' unexpected conclusions>

Synonyms argue, attest, authenticate, bear out, certify, corroborate, substantiate, support, validate, verify, vindicate

Related Words avouch, back (up), testify (to), vouch (for), witness; guarantee, warrant; affirm, assert, aver, avow, declare, profess; demonstrate, document, establish, prove, reinforce (also reenforce)

Near Antonyms contradict, gainsay; deny, disavow, disclaim; challenge, contest, dispute, question

Antonyms disprove, rebut, refute

to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end <sent reinforcements to support the troops deployed overseas>

Synonyms abet, aid, assist, back, backstop, prop (up), support

Related Words advance, ease, facilitate, forward, foster, further, launch; champion, endorse (also indorse), patronize, promote, sponsor; attend, care (for), comfort, minister (to), succor; sustain; bolster, boost, buttress, reinforce (also reenforce); advise, counsel, guide, mentor, nurture; bail out, deliver, rescue, save; embolden, encourage, hearten; benefit, favor, oblige, profit, serve

Near Antonyms balk, bar, block, constrain, hamper, handicap, hold back, impede, inhibit, obstruct, restrain, strangle; baffle, foil, frustrate, inconvenience, interfere, oppose, sabotage, thwart; desert, disappoint, fail, let down; discourage, dishearten; repress, retard, stifle, straiten, stunt; damage, harm, hurt, injure

Antonyms hinder

to put up with (something painful or difficult) <he simply cannot support the thought of having to go on living without his beloved wife at his side>