Supportive — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Related Entry: Support (verb)

Support is a different word from Supportive. The synonyms below are for support, not for supportive.

1. to promote the interests or cause of

   "though childless themselves, they support the local schools both by volunteering and by fiercely opposing funding cuts"

   similar: advocate, back, champion, endorse, patronize, plump (for), plunk (for), go in for, go to bat for, hold a brief for, stand up for, stick up for
   related: adopt, embrace, espouse, abet, aid, assist, help, prop (up), second, side (with), backstop, bolster, boost, buttress, reinforce, advance, forward, further, plug, preach, talk up, bail out, deliver, rescue, save
   near: baffle, foil, frustrate, interfere, oppose, sabotage, thwart, desert, disappoint, fail, let down

2. to pay the living expenses of

   "a young widow supporting a sick mother as well as two small children on a teacher's salary"

   similar: keep, maintain, provide (for), foot the bill (for), take care of
   related: finance, fund, patronize, set up, sponsor, stake, underwrite

3. to hold up or serve as a foundation for

   "pillars supporting the bridge"

   similar: bear, bolster, brace, buttress, carry, prop (up), shore (up), stay, sustain, undergird, underpin, uphold
   related: steady, truss, underlie

4. 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"

   similar: back, bolster, buttress, corroborate, reinforce, shore (up), substantiate
   related: confirm, establish, prove, verify, affirm, avouch, validate
   near: undercut, undermine, weaken

5. 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"

   similar: defend, justify, maintain, uphold, stand up for, stick up for
   related: advocate, champion, espouse, confirm, vindicate, warrant, affirm, assert, aver, avouch, avow, claim, contend, insist, plead, proclaim, profess, protest, state, argue, debate, discuss, emphasize, stress, underline, underscore
   near: abandon, abjure, forsake, recant, retract, take back, withdraw, reverse, switch, controvert, disprove, rebut, refute

6. to give evidence or testimony to the truth or factualness of

   "new evidence supports the original researchers' unexpected conclusions"

   similar: argue, attest, authenticate, bear out, certify, confirm, corroborate, substantiate, validate, verify, vindicate
   related: avouch, back (up), testify (to), vouch (for), witness, guarantee, warrant, affirm, assert, aver, avow, declare, profess, demonstrate, document, establish, prove, reinforce
   opposite: disprove, rebut, refute
   near: contradict, gainsay, deny, disavow, disclaim, challenge, contest, dispute, question

7. to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end

   "sent reinforcements to support the troops deployed overseas"

   similar: abet, aid, assist, back, backstop, help, prop (up), bear a hand, to stand one in good stead
   related: advance, ease, facilitate, forward, foster, further, launch, champion, endorse, patronize, promote, sponsor, attend, care (for), comfort, minister (to), succor, sustain, bolster, boost, buttress, reinforce, advise, counsel, guide, mentor, nurture, bail out, deliver, rescue, save, embolden, encourage, hearten, benefit, favor, oblige, profit, serve
   opposite: hinder
   near: 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

8. 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"

   similar: abide, absorb, accept, bear, bide (chiefly dialect), brook, countenance, endure, go, hack, handle, meet, pocket, stand, stick out, stomach, sustain, sweat out, take, tolerate, wear (British), live with, lump (it), stand for, tough it out
   related: allow, permit, suffer, swallow, reconcile (to), acquiesce, agree (with or to), assent (to), capitulate, consent (to), respect, submit (to), yield (to)
   near: decline, dismiss, refuse, reject, repudiate, spurn, turn down, combat, contest, fight, oppose, resist, avoid, bypass, circumvent, dodge, elude, escape, evade, miss, abstain (from), forbear, refrain (from)