ESPOUSE Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'espouse' differ from other similar words?

The words adopt and embrace are common synonyms of espouse . While all three words mean "to take an opinion, policy, or practice as one's own," espouse adds an implication of close attachment to a cause and a sharing of its fortunes. // espoused the cause of women's rights

Q: In what contexts can 'adopt' take the place of 'espouse'?

The words adopt and espouse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, adopt implies accepting something created by another or foreign to one's nature. // forced to adopt new policies

Q: When might 'embrace' be a better fit than 'espouse'?

The synonyms embrace and espouse are sometimes interchangeable, but embrace implies a ready or happy acceptance. // embraced the customs of their new homeland

espouse

verb

i-ˈspau̇z

Definition of espouse next

as in to marry

to give in marriage a couple eager to espouse their eldest daughter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to propose

to take as a spouse heeded his father's advice to espouse someone with whom he had common interests

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to adopt

to take for one's own use (something originated by another) after working among them for two years in the Peace Corps, she felt compelled to espouse the peasants' cause for social justice

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb espouse differ from other similar words?

The words adopt and embrace are common synonyms of espouse. While all three words mean "to take an opinion, policy, or practice as one's own," espouse adds an implication of close attachment to a cause and a sharing of its fortunes.

espoused the cause of women's rights

In what contexts can adopt take the place of espouse?

The words adopt and espouse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, adopt implies accepting something created by another or foreign to one's nature.

forced to adopt new policies

When might embrace be a better fit than espouse?

The synonyms embrace and espouse are sometimes interchangeable, but embrace implies a ready or happy acceptance.

embraced the customs of their new homeland

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of espouse Even if the vision espoused by some MAGA followers never represented the reality of the past, the idea speaks to fears of the changes that have been brought about by a half a century of immigration and civil rights legislation, which have made the nation more diverse and inclusive. —

Caroline Winterer / Made By History, TIME, 14 Jan. 2025 Christie, who played for the Kings from 2000-05 at the height of their success under Rick Adelman, still espouses the principles that defined Sacramento’s style at that time. —

Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 10 Jan. 2025 Grace Evelyn Reese Adkins devoted her considerable energy and talents as a teacher, writer, composer and minister to promoting Christian beliefs espoused by the Restoration Movement, also known as the Stone-Campbell Movement. —

arkansasonline.com, 4 Jan. 2025 The group has espoused conservative Islamic beliefs in the past, forcing women and girls to follow strict dress codes and persecuting religious minorities. —

Ross O'Keefe, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 4 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for espouse

Recent Examples of Synonyms for espouse

Verb

What would Smith’s commentary have been if Williams hadn’t been married?

— Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 11 Feb. 2025
She and Roker were married at a home in Peekskill on Dec. 22, 1984, according to a wedding announcement published in the New York Times.

— Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2025