endorse
endorse — verb
1. to state in public that you are in favour of a person, idea, policy, or action,
to state in public that you are in favour of a person, idea, policy, or action, giving them your visible backing.
The mayor formally endorsed the new housing plan during the city council meeting.
formal register with policy noun phrase
Sivan's colleagues endorsed her proposal after she explained the budget details.
The union voted to endorse the senator because of her record on healthcare reform.
Fourteen local doctors endorsed the free clinic initiative in an open letter.
Gabriela's former professor endorsed her application for the research grant.
- support
broader and less formal; can be private or passive, whereas endorse is always active and public
- back
stronger, often implying financial or material help, not just verbal approval
- recommend
suggests a judgement of quality rather than an ideological or political stance
- sanction
more formal and official, often from an authority with legal power to permit or forbid
文法句型
endorse + noun phrase
endorse + that-clause
be endorsed by + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often used in political, organisational, and professional contexts. The subject is typically a person, group, or institution, and the object can be a person, proposal, policy, or idea.
常見錯誤
2. to be paid to appear in public recommending a product you genuinely use, especia
to be paid to appear in public recommending a product you genuinely use, especially in a television commercial or on social media.
Romi endorsed the sports drink in a television commercial shown during the match.
endorse + product in television commercial
The company paid the tennis player to endorse its running shoes on social media.
Ayesha only endorses beauty products that she has used for at least a year.
The bakery asked the food blogger to endorse their new line of gluten-free cakes.
Liam was surprised to see his favourite musician endorsing a brand of instant noodles.
文法句型
endorse + noun phrase (product / brand / service)
用法筆記
This sense is strongly associated with celebrity and influencer culture. The endorser is typically paid or receives free products. In American English, this sense is especially common in sports and cosmetics marketing.
常見錯誤
❌ 'The doctor endorsed the medicine in a TV ad.' (implies paid promotion) — This is correct for product endorsement, but be aware this sense specifically means the person genuinely uses the product. If the doctor has never used it, 'promoted' is more accurate.
3. to sign your name across the reverse side of a financial paper, such as a cheque
to sign your name across the reverse side of a financial paper, such as a cheque, thereby allowing it to be passed on to a different recipient or deposited into an account.
Allison forgot to endorse the cheque before depositing it at the bank counter.
endorse cheque for deposit
Tendai endorsed the promissory note and handed it to the lender.
The accountant asked Jude to endorse the payment order on the dotted line.
Cyrus endorsed the insurance claim form so his brother could collect the payout.
Before the bank would process the payment, both parties had to endorse the transfer form.
- sign
general term for writing your signature; less specific about the purpose or location
- countersign
to sign a document already signed by someone else, as a second approval
文法句型
endorse + cheque / check / document
endorse + noun phrase + over to + person
用法筆記
Frequently passive ('the cheque must be endorsed'). In American English, the spelling 'check' is standard, though 'cheque' is used in British English. This is the original, historical sense of the word.
常見錯誤
4. to formally note on someone's driving licence that they have broken traffic laws
to formally note on someone's driving licence that they have broken traffic laws, usually by adding penalty points after a court hearing or a fixed-penalty notice.
The court endorsed the driver's licence after the speeding conviction.
court endorses licence after conviction
Sora received six points endorsed on his driving record for a red-light violation.
passive: points are endorsed on record
Under British law, failing to report a road accident can lead to an endorsed licence.
The magistrate endorsed her licence with six points for reckless driving on the motorway.
Élise checked her driving record online and found no endorsements from the last three years.
文法句型
endorse + licence / driving record
be endorsed with + penalty points
用法筆記
Strictly British English. In the UK, driving licence endorsements are commonly called 'penalty points.' If a driver accumulates twelve points within three years, they may be disqualified from driving. This sense does not exist in American English.