verb phrase

supporting someone

suh-POR-ting SUM-wun

Supporting someone (verb phrase) means giving a person encouragement, sympathy and practical help so that they can cope with something difficult. Example: “Supporting someone through grief mostly means turning up and listening.”

verb phrase

Giving a person encouragement, sympathy and practical help so that they can cope with something difficult.

"Supporting someone through grief mostly means turning up and listening."

"She felt she was supporting everyone else and being supported by no one."

Paying for a person's living costs, either wholly or in part.

"He is supporting his mother and two younger siblings on one wage."

"The visa requires proof that you can support someone financially."

Publicly taking a person's side in a dispute, election or contest.

"Three cabinet members are supporting someone else for the leadership."

How to Use Supporting someone

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHelping a person get through something, emotionally or financially.

When to use it

Neutral and everyday.

Memory tip

'Support someone' takes a direct object with no preposition; 'support for someone' is the noun form.

Common pairings

supporting someone emotionally supporting someone financially supporting someone through a divorce support someone in their decision

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

_____ through grief mostly means turning up and listening.

Synonyms

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standing by someone being there for someone backing someone helping someone providing for someone maintaining someone keeping someone endorsing someone championing someone siding with someone

Antonyms

abandoning someone undermining someone opposing someone

Rhymes for supporting someone

one bone done gone none tone lone hone cone zone stone phone

See all rhymes for supporting someone →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between supporting someone and enabling them?

Supporting someone helps them handle a problem and move forward. Enabling shields them from the consequences of harmful behaviour so the behaviour continues, which usually looks like help in the short term but makes things worse.

What is the best way to support someone who is struggling?

Listen without rushing to fix things, ask what would actually help rather than guessing, and offer something specific and doable such as a lift, a meal or a regular check-in. Keep going after the first week, when most offers of help quietly stop.