supporting 1 of 2

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

supporting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of support
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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

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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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of supporting
Adjective
The incredible supporting cast is made up entirely of old-hand character actors, promising but underknown newcomers, and comedy- or comedy-adjacent figures with passionate niche followings and Gumby-esque limbs. Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 17 June 2026 Some went after Cashman, some after Boone, some after Steinbrenner’s son Hal, and some after Aaron Judge’s non-supporting cast. 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
Verb
The bridge’s 22 piers were seismically retrofitted from the water upward in 2002, but the underwater infrastructure supporting the piers hasn’t been renovated or upgraded since the bridge opened to traffic in 1969. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026 Fewer workers are splitting the cost of supporting a larger, longer-living retired population. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 As the honorary team captain, Patinkin will make select appearances at USA Fencing events while supporting the team on their journey to the Games. Tanya Fedak, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 From the Imagination Library putting millions of books into children’s hands to supporting education, literacy, disaster relief, and communities in need. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026 She doesn’t wanna be seen as somebody who’s not supporting a woman of color. David Weigel, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Parton gave to numerous other causes over the years, including supporting wildfire victims and funding the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. Eve Chen, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 The remaining counts were split between supporting the lifting of the ban and undecided. Brittney Ermon, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 Hiller also won an Emmy last year for his supporting role of Joel in Somebody, Somewhere. Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for supporting
Adjective
  • Flat oil prices and slightly lower bond yields were certainly supportive of the tech rally.
    Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Across all categories, the beds deserve special mention—exceptionally comfortable, with soft bedding and supportive pillows that punch well above the price point.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Norcross’ mother, Anne Carol Conner Norcross, spent years advocating for seniors and underserved Camden residents.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Distinguished faculty, postdocs and students from around the world take turns advocating for their target.
    Ashwin R. Vasavada, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The show is leaning into its strengths, dialing up the madcap comedy and overlapping dialogue while keeping the story lines rooted in recognizable rites of passage for young people.
    Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The approach could provide a more repeatable way to adapt navigation systems across different robots and environments, while keeping human oversight for important development and safety decisions.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Still, the Sky have not earned a reputation for sustaining a system from year to year — and the status of the remaining roster does not lend itself to a building process for the Sky.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Trey Moore, who had emerged as a front-runner to start at linebacker for the Dolphins, will be out awhile after sustaining an ankle injury during Saturday’s 26-3 preseason loss to the Giants.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • These funds have been vital for reinforcing vulnerable coastal infrastructure against severe weather, addressing deferred maintenance, and ensuring the long-term preservation of key visitor-facing structures.
    Lulu Vilas, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Micron , Broadcom , Synopsys and Cadence Design also appeared on the sympathy list, reinforcing how Nvidia has become a read-through for companies across the chip space.
    Nick Wells, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The new Indiana quarterback was a three-year starter at TCU and now takes over the defending champs.
    Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Clark, a second-round draft pick by the defending Super Bowl champions, was injured on Seattle’s first defensive snap in a 19-16 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.
    Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Meta is also promising to do a better job of verifying users' ages and has agreed to report regularly to an independent auditor.
    Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Smoke events leave residue behind; the guidelines include protocols for flushing spaces and verifying air quality once the event passes.
    Sissi Liu, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • However, cooler heads prevailed, with respectful interactions afterward, and Khabib Nurmagomedov even assisting Song.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • While Taunton was assisting, another vehicle hydroplaned toward them and Taunton pushed a person at the scene out of the way.
    Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Supporting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/supporting. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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