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Commit to Learning the History of Espouse
As you might guess, the words espouse and spouse are hitched, both coming from the Latin verb spondēre, meaning “to promise” or “to betroth.” In fact, the two were once completely interchangeable, with each serving as a noun meaning “a newly married person” or “a husband or wife” and also as a verb meaning “to marry.” Their semantic separation began when the noun espouse fell out of use. Nowadays, espouse is most often encountered as a verb used in the figuratively extended sense “to commit to and support as a cause.”
Examples of espouse in a Sentence
Annmarie Caño, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2025
In his nearly twenty years as Chief Justice, Roberts has espoused a sweeping vision of Presidential authority—sometimes with language so broad as to make Congress and the courts appear small by comparison.
—Cristian Farias, The New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2025
In an administration that has espoused a philosophy of bringing the best of business to government, the severity of the situation should be well understood—as should the path forward.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
The prospect of a Catholic nun creating bold graphic silkscreens espousing the era’s peace and love ethos proved irresistible.
—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for espouse
Cite this Entry
“Espouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/espouse. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.
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