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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

supporting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of support
1
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
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 argument supporting Measure Z was signed by farmer Blair Voelz, educator Karen Rosenkilde Bayne, former Woodland City Manager Kris Kristensen, business leader Aniek Pflager and agricultural supplier Erik Wilson. — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Following the meeting, Papin’s office said the state was committed to supporting businesses and that further measures would be announced shortly. — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 Despite the weight reduction on the XPress Lite, structural integrity remains uncompromised, supporting a maximum rider capacity of a hefty 275 lb (125 kg). — New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2026 Even when a tip appears credible, detectives must assess the information and look for supporting evidence. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Neocloud companies are cloud computing firms that specialize in infrastructure tailored to supporting artificial intelligence workloads. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026 Ethiopia also accuses Eritrea of supporting insurgents and occupying Ethiopian territory, allegations the AP could not independently verify. — Khaled Kazziha, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026 Mental health teams and chaplains were also supporting soldiers and their families. — Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 While Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that Russia is planning to escalate with drone or rocket strikes on European allies supporting Ukraine, other countries have called for calm. — Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for supporting
Adjective
  • The Snow’s pressure-relieving foam combined with supportive springs results in a bed that’s comfortable, but not plush to a fault.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The nuns modeled how to create a sustaining, supportive community.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In 2021, Rutinel founded Climate Refarm, which advocated for cutting down on the use of meat and has signed onto letters advocating for raising taxes on meat and dairy.
    — Nicholas Riccardi, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Seminole County also must set its priorities of advocating for conservation efforts including the Florida Forever acquisition of High Oaks Ranch, a 672-acre rural property in eastern Seminole County near Chuluota.
    — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Fire officials were most concerned with keeping the blaze north of Encinal Canyon Road, one of the few natural firebreaks in the immediate area.
    — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
  • These functions extend the partnership beyond keeping a drone connected to its operator.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The Hurricanes took the lead back after Xavier Lucas, who was playing in his first game since sustaining an injury in the season opener, recovered a Riles fumble (forced by Ethan O’Connor).
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Two of the estimated 400 firefighters assigned to the Norte Fire were stabilized at a hospital after sustaining unspecified injuries battling the blaze, McGovern said.
    — Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • That same day, Houzz released its 2026 outdoor trends study, reinforcing the zoned-yard pattern.
    — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Dodgers, after reinforcing their back-to-back championship roster in the offseason and entering the year as the World Series favorites, fell short.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The Knicks enter the 2026 season this week as defending NBA champions, as any New Yorker in your life would be happy to remind you.
    — Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Administration has invoked national security in defending other projects.
    — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Some countries, such as Australia, require the platforms themselves to develop ways of verifying a user’s age.
    — Ari Lightman, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
  • For Synopsys, a company that develops software for designing and verifying semiconductors, CFO Shelagh Glaser said the cost side got real fast.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Artem Zub made his season debut Thursday, assisting on Greig's goal.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • This configuration allows the bristles to make contact with the scalp, assisting in thorough detangling and ensuring no section is missed, even with voluminous locks.
    — Laura Sandroni, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Supporting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/supporting. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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