Verb + Noun B1 — Intermediate /səˈpɔːt/

Support — Definition, Examples & Pronunciation

To help, back, or sustain — one of the most versatile and important words in professional English.

Quick Definition

Support (verb) means to give help, encouragement, or assistance. As a noun, support is the help or backing given to someone or something. It can also mean physical holding up.

What Does Support Mean?

Support comes from Latin supportare (to carry, convey). In modern English it covers physical, emotional, financial, and argumentative meanings. A beam supports a roof, a friend supports you emotionally, a charity provides financial support, and evidence supports a theory. The core idea is always one of holding up or giving strength to something else.

In professional and academic English, support is especially common in phrases like customer support, technical support, the data supports the conclusion, and in support of. These patterns are essential for B1 and above learners who want to write or speak formally.

Key collocations: provide/offer/give support, seek support, emotional support, financial support, support network, support group, in full support of, and with the support of.

Word in Use

SentenceUsage note
The charity supports families in need with food and clothing.support (verb) = give practical help
She received a lot of support from her colleagues during the project.support (noun) = encouragement, backing
The research supports the theory that sleep improves memory.support (verb) = provide evidence for

Common Mistakes

Watch Out For

She gave me a lot of supports. (support as a mass noun is uncountable)

She gave me a lot of support. (no plural in this sense)

I support to his idea. (support does not take 'to')

I support his idea. / I am in support of his idea.

Related Words

help allow include assist endorse encourage

Practise This Word

Flash Cards Wordsearch Quiz

Frequently Asked Questions about “support”

What does support mean in English?
Support as a verb means to help, encourage, or assist: 'The manager supported her team throughout the project.' As a noun, support means help or backing: 'She received a lot of support from her family.' It can also mean physical holding up: 'The beams provide support for the roof.' Context makes the meaning clear.
How do you use support in a sentence?
Common patterns: support someone/something (verb), provide/give/offer support (noun), in support of (in favour of), with the support of (with the help of). Examples: 'Please support our campaign', 'We need more financial support', 'He spoke in support of the proposal'.
What is the difference between support and help?
Help is more general and casual: 'Can you help me with this?' Support implies a deeper, more sustained form of assistance, often emotional or structural: 'She supported him through his illness.' Support is also used more in formal/professional contexts: 'technical support', 'financial support'.
What is the CEFR level of support?
Support is a B1 (Intermediate) word. It appears frequently in academic writing, professional communication, and news media. At B1 level, learners should be able to use both the verb and noun forms and recognise collocations like 'emotional support', 'provide support', and 'in support of'.
What are synonyms for support?
As a verb: help, assist, aid, back, encourage, endorse, sustain. As a noun: assistance, help, backing, encouragement, aid, reinforcement, endorsement. In physical contexts: brace, prop, beam, pillar. The most formal synonym is 'provide assistance to'; the most informal is 'back someone up'.
How do you pronounce support?
Support is pronounced /səˈpɔːt/. It has two syllables with stress on the second: suh-PORT. The first syllable is the weak schwa /sə/. The vowel in the stressed syllable is the long 'aw' sound /ɔː/ as in 'port' or 'sport'. Many learners stress the wrong syllable — remember: suh-PORT, not SUH-port.
What does emotional support mean?
Emotional support means giving comfort, understanding, and encouragement to someone who is going through a difficult time: 'Her friends provided emotional support after the bereavement.' It contrasts with practical support (concrete help with tasks) or financial support (money). In psychology and counselling, emotional support is a key therapeutic concept.
What are common collocations with support?
Common collocations include: provide support, offer support, give support, seek support, lend support, financial/emotional/technical support, in support of, support network, support group, customer support, and life support. These patterns are essential vocabulary for professional English at B1 and above.
What does supportive mean?
Supportive is the adjective form meaning 'giving help or encouragement': 'She has a very supportive family.' The opposite is unsupportive. Other related forms: supporter (a person who supports), supported (past tense/adjective), supporting (adjective, as in 'a supporting role'), and unsupported (without backing or evidence).
How can I practise the word support on LexFizz?
Use LexFizz's Flash Cards to practise support alongside related vocabulary like help, assist, and encourage. The Vocabulary Quiz tests support in professional and academic sentence contexts. The Wordsearch helps you fix the spelling — note the double 'p'. Learning support as both a verb and noun will greatly expand your writing range.