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
On the wall and in frames propped up behind me were pictures of Padilla’s refereeing career, and of boxers who’d been in his orbit.
—
Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Wu is trying to prop up Santana to keep him on the council, holding a fundraiser on Tuesday for him the same day Walsh is helping Baker.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand are among the markets propping up air freight demand, with tonnages across the three countries on average increasing 40 percent annually.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 15 Sep. 2025
Another billionaire, former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt, who recently purchased his own rocket company, has been quietly propping up the idea that data centers should be moved off Earth.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prop up
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Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Wu is trying to prop up Santana to keep him on the council, holding a fundraiser on Tuesday for him the same day Walsh is helping Baker.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand are among the markets propping up air freight demand, with tonnages across the three countries on average increasing 40 percent annually.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 15 Sep. 2025
Another billionaire, former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt, who recently purchased his own rocket company, has been quietly propping up the idea that data centers should be moved off Earth.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prop up
Cite this Entry
“Prop up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prop%20up. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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