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

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
Ahead of the premiere’s conclusion, Variety exclusively reported that Neon’s awards campaign for the film will include Garfield and Rylance competing in the supporting actor category and Borisov campaigning in lead actor. — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026 Service is low-key but practical, with staff supporting both wellness programming and basic logistics like airport pickups. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 Mid-market carve-outs rarely command a TSA long enough to deliberate, so the real skill is collecting and disseminating the supporting information quickly enough that leadership can make sound choices in rapid succession. — Miki Kapoor, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Pink Pony is a flagship program of Ralph Lauren’s Timeless by Design 2030 citizenship and sustainability strategy, reflecting Ralph Lauren’s deep commitment to supporting the fight against cancer. — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026 Furthermore, the models revealed the reservoir could hold between 350 million and 480 million cubic meters of gas while supporting a daily throughput of 750,000 cubic meters. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026 Then the cord dragged heavier lines that were capable of supporting large loads. — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 The foundation's stats show how the center is supporting the city as well. — Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026 Lamin has led a peaceful campaign supporting the right of Western Sahara to self-determination, a dream of Sahrawi refugees that has been frustrated for more than half a century. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for supporting
Adjective
  • But the study also found that fewer than half of employees agreed that their organizations encouraged transparent communication or invested in developing fair and supportive managers.
    — Michael Corvini, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Wireless, supportive, and simple to store, this is the purchase your home’s been missing all along.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Lauren Oto Lauren Oto is advocating for Sacramento’s small businesses while working to broaden diversity in leadership.
    — The Sacramento Bee staff, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Part of this has come about as a result of retail brokerages advocating for their customers to get first dibs on IPO stocks, rather than having to buy the shares at a premium from the connected clients of big banks.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Doing so would entail repairing cracks that admit water, maintaining the foundations of each section, applying a sealant to slow the weathering process, and keeping the encroachment of vegetation in check.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Brands are making more on paper and keeping less in the bank, squeezed from every side by rising ad costs, tariffs and overhead.
    — David Born, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • God is present now, and there could never be a future moment when His sustaining presence is absent.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The next step is sustaining that work through the heavier demands of a season.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • That means knowing which sources carry weight with language models, which narratives are worth reinforcing and what is costing you citations.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • There is also evidence of second-round effects from energy costs, reinforcing the risk that inflation is becoming entrenched, BofA said.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Over the years, the town was a major post for government forces defending Taiz.
    — AHMED AL-HAJ, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Much of the discussion surrounding this week’s game centers around how the Georgia defense will go about defending Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell.
    — Connor Riley, AJC.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Severe disruptions to internet and cellphone networks have made gathering and verifying information from Tigray difficult.
    — Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • In the middle, verifying the work requires nearly as much labor as doing it.
    — Adriana Munoz Vergara, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Gens-Ustjanauskas went on to help thousands of immigrants navigate complex immigration systems, assisting USCIS and other federal agencies, the Gens Family Project said.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Video obtained by the Daily News shows police assisting EMS in lifting the wounded detective off the street, where blood can be seen pooling along the curb, and onto a gurney.
    — Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Supporting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/supporting. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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