support

/səˈpɔːt/ (bre, ipa) · /səˈpɔːrt/ (ame, ipa) · /sə-ˈpȯrt/ (ame, mw)

support — verb

  • supportpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • supportshe / she / it
  • supportedpast simple
  • supporting-ing form

1. To express your backing for a person, group, plan, or idea because you believe i

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

To express your backing for a person, group, plan, or idea because you believe in what they do and hope they will succeed.

例句

Talia's family supported her decision to study art at university.

support + noun phrase (decision / idea / proposal)

Over a thousand local residents signed a letter supporting the new park project.

support + noun phrase (project / plan / bill)

同義詞
  • back

    slightly more informal; often used for candidates or plans

  • stand by

    emphasises loyalty even when the situation is difficult

  • advocate

    more formal; used for ideas, policies, or causes

反義詞
  • oppose

    to be against a plan or idea

  • resist

    to try to stop something from happening

文法句型

support + noun phrase

support + person + in + gerund

用法筆記

Commonly used with the preposition 'in' followed by a gerund: support someone in doing something. The object is typically a person, a group, a decision, a plan, a proposal, or a project.

常見錯誤

❌She supported me to find a new job.
✅She supported me in finding a new job.
💡'support' takes 'in + gerund', not 'to + infinitive'.

2. To regularly follow a specific club or athlete and wish for their victory, with

2.動詞及物A2
釋義

To regularly follow a specific club or athlete and wish for their victory, with devotion that fans demonstrate through attendance at matches or displaying team colours.

例句

Devika has supported the local football team since she was a child.

support + team + since + time reference

Minho supports a different baseball team than his father does.

同義詞
  • root for

    mainly American English; less formal

  • cheer for

    emphasises vocal encouragement during a game

  • follow

    can mean paying attention to a team without necessarily wanting them to win

文法句型

support + team / player

用法筆記

The object is always a sports team, club, or individual athlete. In British English this sense is far more common than in American English, where 'root for' is often preferred.

3. To give comfort, practical aid, or encouragement to someone who is facing a hard

3.動詞及物B1
釋義

To give comfort, practical aid, or encouragement to someone who is facing a hard time, so that they feel less alone and can manage better.

例句

Tomás supported his sister through months of difficult medical treatment.

support + person + through + difficulty

After Roya lost her job, her friends supported her with job applications and interview practice.

support + person + with + practical help

同義詞
  • help

    broader, less specific to emotional encouragement

  • comfort

    focuses on emotional relief rather than practical aid

  • assist

    more formal, leans towards practical help

反義詞
  • neglect

    to fail to help someone who needs it

  • abandon

    to leave someone without help or support

文法句型

support + person + through + difficulty

support + person + with + help

用法筆記

Often followed by 'through' for a difficult period, 'with' for specific forms of help, or 'by' for a particular action. The focus is on aiding someone during hardship rather than simply agreeing with them.

常見錯誤

❌The nurse supported to the patient.
✅The nurse supported the patient.
💡'support' is transitive and does not take 'to' in this sense.

4. To earn or provide enough money for a person or people who depend on you, so the

4.動詞及物B1
釋義

To earn or provide enough money for a person or people who depend on you, so they can pay for food, housing, clothing, and other basic needs.

例句

After her parents passed away, Anya worked two jobs to support her younger brothers.

support + family + financially

Theo supports his family on a single salary while his wife completes her degree.

support + family + on + [income]

同義詞
  • provide for

    slightly more formal; can include non-financial care

  • maintain

    more formal, often used in legal contexts

  • keep

    informal; 'He works to keep his family.'

文法句型

support + person + on + income

support + family / dependents

用法筆記

The object is a person or group who depends on the subject for livelihood. The amount or source of money can be introduced by 'on' (support a family on a small income) or 'by' (supported by state benefits).

常見錯誤

❌He supports for his elderly mother.
✅He supports his elderly mother.
💡'support' is directly transitive here; no 'for' is needed.
❌She supports three children with her salary.
✅She supports three children on her salary.
💡'on' is the typical preposition for the income source.

5. To pay the costs of an activity, event, project, or habit so that it can happen

5.動詞及物B1
釋義

To pay the costs of an activity, event, project, or habit so that it can happen or continue to exist.

例句

The research project was supported by a grant from the national science foundation.

passive: be supported by + funding source

Tomás supports his photography hobby by selling prints at local art markets.

support + hobby + by + method of funding

同義詞
  • fund

    more direct, usually for projects or organisations

  • sponsor

    implies public association with the supported activity

  • finance

    formal, often for large-scale activities

文法句型

support + activity + by + method

passive: be supported by + funding

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 4: here the object is an activity, event, or habit, not a person. The source of money can be introduced by 'by', 'through', or 'with'.

常見錯誤

❌The charity supports for educational programmes.
✅The charity supports educational programmes.
💡'support' is transitive; no 'for' follows the verb.

6. To provide enough food, water, and other basic conditions for a living thing to

6.動詞及物B1
釋義

To provide enough food, water, and other basic conditions for a living thing to remain alive and healthy.

例句

The river supports a wide variety of fish and plant life along its course.

support + [type of life] (fish, plants, animals)

These dry grasslands can only support a small number of wild animals.

同義詞
  • sustain

    very similar in meaning; slightly more formal

  • nourish

    focuses specifically on food and nutrition

文法句型

support + living things

support + population / life

用法筆記

The subject is typically a natural environment, resource, or system. The object is the life form or population that depends on it. Distinguish from sense 4, which is about financial provision for people.

7. to hold something from underneath so that it stays in place and does not fall do

7.動詞及物B2
釋義

to hold something from underneath so that it stays in place and does not fall down

例句

Thick wooden posts support the roof of the old barn.

support + concrete object (roof, beam, shelf)

Arjun used a folded towel to support his sore wrist while he slept.

同義詞
  • hold up

    more informal, everyday use

  • prop up

    suggests temporary or makeshift support

  • bear

    more formal, focuses on carrying weight

反義詞

文法句型

support + object

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive voice when describing how a structure is held up. Commonly appears with body parts (back, wrist, neck, knee) as the object in health-related contexts.

常見錯誤

❌The roof is supporting on the pillars.
✅The roof is supported by the pillars.
💡In passive constructions, use 'by' not 'on' to show what provides the support.
❌The chair supports to the heavy box.
✅The chair supports the heavy box.
💡'support' is transitive; no preposition is needed before the object.

8. to provide facts or information that make a statement, idea, or theory seem more

8.動詞及物B2
釋義

to provide facts or information that make a statement, idea, or theory seem more likely to be correct

例句

Recent studies support the idea that eating less sugar improves long-term health.

support + abstract object (idea/theory/claim)

The photos taken that night support the driver's account of the accident.

同義詞
  • confirm

    stronger; suggests final proof

  • back up

    more informal, often used in everyday speech

  • corroborate

    formal, used in legal or academic contexts

  • substantiate

    very formal, used in written arguments

反義詞

文法句型

support + object (theory/claim/argument)

用法筆記

The subject is usually a fact, study, result, piece of evidence, or data. Cannot be used with a person as subject in this sense — 'The witness supports the theory' means the witness's words provide evidence, not that the witness personally agrees (that belongs to sense 1).

常見錯誤

❌The data supports for the theory.
✅The data supports the theory.
💡No preposition 'for' is used after 'support' in this sense.
❌The study supported about the new treatment.
✅The study supported the new treatment.
💡'support' takes a direct object without a preposition.

9. to agree to let something happen or continue without objecting to it

9.動詞及物C1
釋義

to agree to let something happen or continue without objecting to it

例句

The school does not support the use of mobile phones during class.

not support + gerund: refusal to allow

Nikos's parents fully support his choice to study music at university.

同義詞
  • tolerate

    implies putting up with something you may not fully agree with

  • accept

    broader, less formal

  • sanction

    formal, implies official approval

  • allow

    more neutral, focuses on permission

反義詞
  • oppose

    to be against something actively

  • forbid

    to officially refuse to allow

文法句型

support + object (decision/policy/plan)

not support + gerund

用法筆記

Often used in formal or institutional contexts, especially with negative constructions ('do not support', 'cannot support') to state opposition. Distinguish from sense 1 (AGREE ENCOURAGE): sense 1 implies active backing, while sense 9 implies passive permission or non-opposition.

常見錯誤

❌The manager supported the workers to leave early.
✅The manager supported the workers' decision to leave early.
💡When 'support' means accept/allow, it takes a noun object (often a gerund or a possessive + noun), not an infinitive construction.
❌I support that they change the law.
✅I support changing the law.
💡Use a gerund, not a 'that'-clause, after 'support' in this sense.

10. to appear on stage at a live music event and play while the audience waits for t

10.動詞及物B2
釋義

to appear on stage at a live music event and play while the audience waits for the headlining act to arrive

例句

A young jazz band from Bristol supported the pop star during her UK tour.

support + performer on tour

Rin's band will be supporting a famous rock group at Wembley next month.

同義詞

文法句型

support + performer/band

support + object + on tour

用法筆記

Common in British English for live music contexts. In American English, 'opened for' is more common. The supporting act is called the 'support act' or 'supporting act'.

常見錯誤

❌The local band supported to the main singer.
✅The local band supported the main singer.
💡No 'to' preposition is needed; 'support' is transitive here.
❌The band supported for the headliner.
✅The band supported the headliner.
💡'support' takes a direct object, not 'for'.

11. to be designed to work correctly with a particular computer system, program, or

11.動詞及物B2
釋義

to be designed to work correctly with a particular computer system, program, or device

例句

The new printer does not support older versions of the operating system.

not support + technology: compatibility limitation

This application supports both Android and Apple smartphones.

support + platform/OS as object

同義詞

文法句型

support + object (device/software/standard)

用法筆記

Used almost exclusively in computing and technology contexts. The subject is a product (hardware, software, system); the object is the standard, protocol, or other product it works with. Common in technical documentation and user guides.

常見錯誤

❌Does this app support with Bluetooth?
✅Does this app support Bluetooth?
💡No preposition 'with' is needed.

❌ 'The software is supporting many languages.' (when describing a static feature) — Use the simple present tense: 'The software supports many languages.'

12. to deal with a difficult or unpleasant situation without giving up or breaking d

12.動詞及物C1
釋義

to deal with a difficult or unpleasant situation without giving up or breaking down

例句

The villagers could not support the harsh winter without extra food supplies.

support + hardship: enduring a difficult situation

Aaron could no longer support the pain in his knee and finally saw a doctor.

support + pain: enduring physical discomfort

同義詞
  • bear

    more common in everyday speech

  • endure

    suggests suffering over a long period

  • put up with

    informal, very common in spoken English

  • withstand

    suggests resistance against pressure or force

反義詞
  • give up

    to stop trying to deal with something

  • succumb to

    formal, to give in to pressure or difficulty

文法句型

support + object (hardship/pain/criticism)

用法筆記

Often used in negative or challenging contexts with 'cannot support' or 'could not support'. The object is typically an unpleasant situation, hardship, pain, or difficult person. This sense is less common in modern everyday speech, where 'bear' or 'put up with' are more frequent.

常見錯誤

❌I can't support with his bad attitude.
✅I can't support his bad attitude.
💡'support' takes a direct object, not a prepositional phrase.

❌ 'She supported the long hours very well.' (sounds odd in modern English) — Consider: 'She coped with the long hours very well.' or 'She endured the long hours very well.' The 'endure' sense of 'support' is somewhat formal and less commonly used in positive contexts.

support — noun