supply
suh-PLEYE
Supply (verb) means to provide something needed. Example: “The school supplies every pupil with a free exercise book each term.”
verb
1
To provide something needed.
"The school supplies every pupil with a free exercise book each term."
"The farm supplies vegetables to local restaurants."
"Volunteers supplied blankets to the shelter."
noun
1
The amount of something available for use.
"Our supply of firewood should last us through the cold weeks ahead."
"The city's water supply is running low."
"We need to check our supply of printer paper."
2
The economic concept of how much of a good sellers are willing to offer at a given price.
"When the supply of apples is small, shops tend to charge more for them."
"A bumper harvest increased the supply of wheat and pushed prices down."
"Supply and demand determine the market price."
How to use supply
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo provide something, or the stock/amount of something available.
Common pairings
supply and demand
in short supply
supply chain
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Word forms
- Plural
- supplies
- Third person singular
- supplies
- Past tense
- supplied
- Comparative
- more supply
- Superlative
- most supply
Fill the gap
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Our _____ of firewood should last us through the cold weeks ahead.
Etymology
From Old French soupleer, from Latin suppleo ("to fill up, complete").
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for supply
See all rhymes for supply →Frequently asked questions
What does “supply” mean?
The word “supply” means to provide something needed. In plain terms, to provide something, or the stock/amount of something available.
How do you pronounce “supply”?
“Supply” is pronounced suh-PLEYE (/səˈplaɪ/ in IPA).
How do you use “supply” in a sentence?
Here is “supply” used in a sentence: “The city's water supply is running low.”
What is another word for “supply”?
Words with a similar meaning to “supply” include provision.
What part of speech is “supply”?
Depending on how it is used, “supply” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “supply” come from?
The word “supply” comes from Latin. From Old French soupleer, from Latin suppleo ("to fill up, complete").
Is “supply” a common word?
“Supply” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “supply” have?
“Supply” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to provide something needed.
What is the difference between supply and provide?
The two are close, but supply often stresses meeting a need or demand, especially in ongoing or commercial quantities, while provide is broader and can cover intangibles such as advice or support. You supply goods to a shop; you provide comfort to a friend. Supply leans practical and material.
What is the difference between supply and demand?
In economics, supply is how much of something is available for sale, while demand is how much buyers actually want. Prices tend to settle where the two meet. The pairing is one of the most basic ideas in economics, describing how markets balance what sellers offer against what buyers seek.
What is an example of supply?
A bakery supplies bread to local cafes, delivering it regularly to meet their needs. Other examples include a factory supplying parts to a car maker, a reservoir supplying water to a town, or a teacher supplying pupils with the materials they need for a lesson. Each provides something required.
Can supply be used as a noun?
Yes. As a noun, supply means a stock or amount of something available, as in a supply of fresh water, or the act of providing it. It also appears in phrases such as supply chain and in short supply, while the plural supplies means provisions or gathered materials.
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