prop up
phrasal verb
propped up; propping up; props up
1
: to stop (something) from falling or slipping by placing something under or against it
We propped up the beams with long boards.
propped the plant stems up
2
: to give help, encouragement, or support to (someone)
His faith propped him up in times of crisis.
Examples of prop up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Two key changes were part of a $418 million settlement announced last March after a series of lawsuits alleged that NAR, which counts 1.5 million real estate professionals among its ranks, had informal rules that propped up the industry’s traditional payment structure.
—
Samantha Delouya, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025
Kyiv is deeply reliant on Western aid, namely from Washington, to prop up its war effort.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025
Many other domestic fashion brands have struggled to compete, resorting to promotions to prop up sales and cost-cutting to offset the impact on their profit margins.
—Jing Feng, NBC News, 9 Feb. 2025
The project, created by Samantha Strauss and directed by Jeffrey Walker, also takes aim at the contradictions and self-delusion that propped up Gibson’s empire of lies.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for prop up 
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Samantha Delouya, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025
Kyiv is deeply reliant on Western aid, namely from Washington, to prop up its war effort.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025
Many other domestic fashion brands have struggled to compete, resorting to promotions to prop up sales and cost-cutting to offset the impact on their profit margins.
—Jing Feng, NBC News, 9 Feb. 2025
The project, created by Samantha Strauss and directed by Jeffrey Walker, also takes aim at the contradictions and self-delusion that propped up Gibson’s empire of lies.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for prop up
Dictionary Entries Near prop up
Cite this Entry
“Prop up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prop%20up. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
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