as in supportive
serving to give support to the truth or factualness of something
scientists looking for direct supporting evidence of microscopic black holes, the existence of which is theoretical
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in advocating
to promote the interests or cause of
though childless themselves, they support the local schools both by volunteering and by fiercely opposing funding cuts
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in keeping
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 & Similar Words
3
as in sustaining
to hold up or serve as a foundation for
pillars supporting the bridge
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in reinforcing
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in defending
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
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6
as in verifying
to give evidence or testimony to the truth or factualness of
new evidence supports the original researchers' unexpected conclusions
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in assisting
to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end
sent reinforcements to support the troops deployed overseas
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8
as in tolerating
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of supporting
Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Sure, that was exacerbated, and to some degree directly caused, by the ample non-supporting cast around him, especially on the offensive line.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2025
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Jan. 2026
The companies said the robotaxi is designed to deliver a premium passenger experience while supporting large-scale autonomous deployment.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
The couple attended several events together last year, including a Met Gala afterparty, a screening of The Phoenician Scheme in New York, and the premiere of Happy Gilmore 2, which starred Hernández in a supporting role.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Jan. 2026
The White House notably did not foreclose on the possibility of supporting a Machado candidacy to lead Venezuela.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Almonds supply healthy fats and protein, helping muscles recover, supporting digestion, and keeping you satisfied between meals.
—Brianna Tobritzhofer, Health, 7 Jan. 2026
Carefully slide the plant out while supporting the root ball.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 7 Jan. 2026
Additional funds were directed to community partners, including California Community Foundation, Direct Relief and Pasadena Community Foundation, supporting broader recovery efforts in neighborhoods hardest hit by the fires, according to MusiCares.
—David Wilson, Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Thank you for supporting The Atlantic.
—Mandy Len Catron, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Some went after Cashman, some after Boone, some after Steinbrenner’s son Hal, and some after Aaron Judge’s non-supporting cast.
—Verb
If your money wasn’t involved in supporting the Dallas Cowboys show, all of it may be funny, instead of just flat, sad, and a bad joke.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for supporting
Adjective
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Kids ‘n Kinship provides friendships and positive role models to children and youth ages 5-16 who are in need of an additional supportive relationship with an adult.—
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The response was overwhelmingly supportive, which did surprise me a little.—
Verb
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Lucille Horn — who survived premature birth thanks to early medical innovation — spent her later years advocating for neonatal care, helping countless children.—
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Kevin is also pursuing justice on behalf of his children by advocating for stronger child welfare laws and pushing for regulations on the life coaching industry in Utah, according to The Salt Lake Tribune and KUTV.—
Verb
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Bure is keeping her faith — and her Christmas crown — shining bright.—
-
Martin legitimately pinned the Saints’ offense on almost every drive in the first half, keeping the game close, even with New Orleans leading at halftime.—
Verb
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Western governments have imposed sanctions on her in the past for her part in sustaining Maduro’s administration.—
-
Puig first tore the ACL in his left knee in the Western Conference final in 2024, assisting on the game’s only goal after sustaining the injury.—
Verb
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From that vantage point, the economy appears to move past each disruption in turn, reinforcing the idea that these are temporary events.—
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The projects are expected to provide thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of long-term operational jobs while reinforcing the American nuclear supply chain.—
Verb
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Argentina, the defending champion, has expressed interest in setting up its base camp in Kansas City.—
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Alex Condon added 21 points and former Arkansas Razorback Boogie Fland chipped in 8 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists for the defending national champion Gators, who beat the Bulldogs for the 13th time in their past 14 meetings.—
Verb
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After verifying player complaints, Wright contacted the league replay center to begin following protocol to potentially delay the game.—
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City officials had been expected to handle the task of verifying the park’s thousands of eligible workers and volunteers, but then recently asked the cultural partnership to step in.—
Verb
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Footage from local television stations showed Portland police assisting the FBI at the scene.—
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Several Icons work alongside newcomers, assisting with citizenship applications and teaching music and language classes that preserve their community's cultural heritage.—
Cite this Entry
“Supporting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/supporting. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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