A1 verb Neutral #179 most common

support

/səˈpɔːrt/

To help someone by giving them what they need, such as money, food, or emotional help. It also means to hold the weight of something so that it stays in place or does not fall.

Examples

3 of 5
1

I always support my friends when they are sad.

I always support my friends when they are sad.

2

The committee decided to support the new education policy.

The committee decided to support the new education policy.

3

Which football team do you support?

Which football team do you support?

Word Family

Noun
support
Verb
support
Adverb
supportively
Adjective
supportive
Related
supporter
💡

Memory Tip

Think of the 'sub' in support, which means 'under', like a pillar standing under a bridge to carry its weight.

Quick Quiz

Parents work hard to ___ their children.

Correct!

The correct answer is: support

Examples

1

I always support my friends when they are sad.

everyday

I always support my friends when they are sad.

2

The committee decided to support the new education policy.

formal

The committee decided to support the new education policy.

3

Which football team do you support?

informal

Which football team do you support?

4

The data collected in the study support the original hypothesis.

academic

The data collected in the study support the original hypothesis.

5

Our company aims to support small businesses in the local area.

business

Our company aims to support small businesses in the local area.

Word Family

Noun
support
Verb
support
Adverb
supportively
Adjective
supportive
Related
supporter

Common Collocations

support a family support a family
support a team support a team
give support give support
fully support fully support
technical support technical support

Common Phrases

in support of

in support of

moral support

moral support

customer support

customer support

Often Confused With

support vs assist

Support often implies long-term help or agreement, while assist usually refers to helping with a specific, short-term task.

📝

Usage Notes

The word can be used physically (like a chair supporting a person) or figuratively (like supporting a friend's decision).

⚠️

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes use 'support' when they mean 'stand' or 'tolerate', but 'support' always implies providing help or stability.

💡

Memory Tip

Think of the 'sub' in support, which means 'under', like a pillar standing under a bridge to carry its weight.

📖

Word Origin

From the Latin 'supportare', meaning 'to carry' or 'bring to a place', from sub (under) and portare (to carry).

Grammar Patterns

support + object be supported by support someone in doing something
🌍

Cultural Context

In many English-speaking countries, 'supporting a team' is a significant part of social life and personal identity.

Quick Quiz

Parents work hard to ___ their children.

Correct!

The correct answer is: support

Related Words

to

A1

Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward. It can also mark the recipient of an action or the limit of a range.

and

A1

A primary conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically equal. It indicates addition, a sequence of events, or a relationship between two things.

a

A1

A word used before a singular noun that is not specific or is being mentioned for the first time. It is used only before words that begin with a consonant sound to indicate one of something.

that

A1

This word is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate a specific person, object, or idea that is further away in space or time from the speaker. It is also used to refer back to something that has already been mentioned or to introduce a clause that identifies something.

I

A1

The pronoun 'I' is used by a speaker or writer to refer to themselves as the subject of a verb. It is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English and is always capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.

for

A1

Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.

not

A1

A function word used to express negation or denial. It is primarily used to make a sentence or phrase negative, often following an auxiliary verb or the verb 'to be'.

with

A1

A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.

he

A1

A pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal that has already been mentioned or is easily identified. It functions as the subject of a sentence.

you

A1

Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.

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