Espouse
verb
To openly support or accept a belief, idea, or cause.
She quickly espoused the cause of the workers' rights.
Often appears as...
- espouse a cause
- espouse a belief
Usage tips
Approving
verb
To marry someone.
He espoused the wealthy heiress to secure his social standing.
Often appears as...
- espouse a wife
- espouse a husband
Usage tips
Formal, Neutral
Academic
verb
To openly support or accept a belief, idea, or cause.
She quickly espoused the cause of the workers' rights.
Often appears as...
- espouse a cause
- espouse a belief
Usage tips
Approving
verb
To marry someone.
He espoused the wealthy heiress to secure his social standing.
Often appears as...
- espouse a wife
- espouse a husband
Usage tips
Formal, Neutral
Academic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Active Support
‘Espouse’ implies an active and public backing of an idea, not just silent agreement.
Activists espouse environmental protection vehemently.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Connotation
Using 'espouse' suggests a positive and honorable support for something generally seen as good or progressive.
She espoused human rights reforms in her speech.
Pro Tip 3/3Formal Context
‘Espouse’ is more formal; you'll find it in written texts more than in everyday conversation.
In our manifesto, we espouse equal opportunities for all.
Pro Tip 1/3Active Support
‘Espouse’ implies an active and public backing of an idea, not just silent agreement.
Activists espouse environmental protection vehemently.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Connotation
Using 'espouse' suggests a positive and honorable support for something generally seen as good or progressive.
She espoused human rights reforms in her speech.
Pro Tip 3/3Formal Context
‘Espouse’ is more formal; you'll find it in written texts more than in everyday conversation.
In our manifesto, we espouse equal opportunities for all.
Pro Tip 1/3Active Support
‘Espouse’ implies an active and public backing of an idea, not just silent agreement.
Activists espouse environmental protection vehemently.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Connotation
Using 'espouse' suggests a positive and honorable support for something generally seen as good or progressive.
She espoused human rights reforms in her speech.
Pro Tip 3/3Formal Context
‘Espouse’ is more formal; you'll find it in written texts more than in everyday conversation.
In our manifesto, we espouse equal opportunities for all.
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Video examples
Maajid Nawaz: A global...
if the world superpower today was a communist, it would be much easier for democracy activists to use democracy activism as a form of resistance against colonialism, than it is today with the world superpower being America, occupying certain lands and also espousing democratic ideals. So roughly these four reasons
Video examples
Charles Leadbeater:...
but by the offer of learning how to become a carpenter, a practical making skill. So the trendiest schools in the world, High Tech High and others, they espouse a philosophy of learning as productive activity. Here, there isn't really an option. Learning has to be productive
Video examples
Saul Griffith: Hardware...
if you're really taking this view of the universe as a computer, how do we make things in a very general sense, and how might we share the way we make things in a general sense the same way you share open source hardware? And a lot of talks here have espoused the benefits
Video examples
Yuval Noah Harari...
parts of me i i don't like very much and you espouse this really powerfully in the book that part of the insight of meditation is the sort of gradual letting go of sense of self and a kind of almost a humility that there's just a lot more going on in there and our
Video examples
Plato’s best (and worst)...
Unfortunately, Plato was inconsistent with women, elsewhere likening them to children. He also believed that a woman's womb was a live animal that could wander around in her body and cause illness. This bad idea, also espoused by other contemporaries of Plato,
Video examples
How to disagree...
The suspicions that you hold about people who espouse beliefs that you don't have, starts to evaporate. Because you can imagine yourself stepping into those shoes. And as you're stepping into those, you're embracing the humility of uncertainty.
Video examples
A global culture to...
world superpower being America occupying certain lands and also espousing democratic ideals so roughly these four reasons make it a lot more difficult for democratic culture to spread as a civilizational choice not merely as a political choice
Video examples
Anil Gupta: India's...
one for yourself and one for others. It must be the same. You cannot discriminate. You cannot be in favor of your own values, which are at a distance from the values that you espouse. So, fairness to one and to the other
Video examples
Samantha Power: Shaking...
What I take away, and this in some ways is the most important, he espoused and exhibited a reverence for dignity that was really, really unusual. At a micro level, the individuals around him were visible. He saw them.
Video examples
What Bruce Lee can teach...
and didn't just espouse his philosophy -- that made him the force of nature that he was, and still engages us today. His wisdom has salvaged me many times in my when my brother died, when my heart's been broken,
Video examples
Maajid Nawaz: A global...
if the world superpower today was a communist, it would be much easier for democracy activists to use democracy activism as a form of resistance against colonialism, than it is today with the world superpower being America, occupying certain lands and also espousing democratic ideals. So roughly these four reasons
Video examples
Charles Leadbeater:...
but by the offer of learning how to become a carpenter, a practical making skill. So the trendiest schools in the world, High Tech High and others, they espouse a philosophy of learning as productive activity. Here, there isn't really an option. Learning has to be productive
Video examples
Saul Griffith: Hardware...
if you're really taking this view of the universe as a computer, how do we make things in a very general sense, and how might we share the way we make things in a general sense the same way you share open source hardware? And a lot of talks here have espoused the benefits
Video examples
Yuval Noah Harari...
parts of me i i don't like very much and you espouse this really powerfully in the book that part of the insight of meditation is the sort of gradual letting go of sense of self and a kind of almost a humility that there's just a lot more going on in there and our
Video examples
Plato’s best (and worst)...
Unfortunately, Plato was inconsistent with women, elsewhere likening them to children. He also believed that a woman's womb was a live animal that could wander around in her body and cause illness. This bad idea, also espoused by other contemporaries of Plato,
Video examples
How to disagree...
The suspicions that you hold about people who espouse beliefs that you don't have, starts to evaporate. Because you can imagine yourself stepping into those shoes. And as you're stepping into those, you're embracing the humility of uncertainty.
Video examples
A global culture to...
world superpower being America occupying certain lands and also espousing democratic ideals so roughly these four reasons make it a lot more difficult for democratic culture to spread as a civilizational choice not merely as a political choice
Video examples
Anil Gupta: India's...
one for yourself and one for others. It must be the same. You cannot discriminate. You cannot be in favor of your own values, which are at a distance from the values that you espouse. So, fairness to one and to the other
Video examples
Samantha Power: Shaking...
What I take away, and this in some ways is the most important, he espoused and exhibited a reverence for dignity that was really, really unusual. At a micro level, the individuals around him were visible. He saw them.
Video examples
What Bruce Lee can teach...
and didn't just espouse his philosophy -- that made him the force of nature that he was, and still engages us today. His wisdom has salvaged me many times in my when my brother died, when my heart's been broken,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Alexandra Adornetto
Australian Author
The young people I know judge leaders by their deeds and abhor hypocrisy. Inconsistency and point-scoring do not win respect. It's not easy to be engaged in political debate when it is reduced to performers trying to outdo each other. Actions from leaders must mirror the values they claim to espouse.
Quote examples
Imelda Staunton
English Actress
Looking back, there is nothing wrong with that peace, love and equality that the hippies espoused. In many ways, we have regressed because they were into organic food, back to nature, make love not war, be good to all men, share and share alike - which is what many are talking about now.
Quote examples
Ann Widdecombe
British Politician
For most of my political life I was not ecstatic but I was happy because I had huge confidence in the causes I espoused and the work I was doing. Even under extreme pressure I was satisfied that I was fighting a good fight.
Quote examples
Josh Widdicombe
English Comedian
I have never bought into this view that some people have that the job of the comedian is to espouse opinions and change the world - I think the job of a comedian is to be funny.
Quote examples
Richard Grenell
American Diplomat
While other countries may espouse the liberal utopian dream of a global community, it's usually only to get the richer countries to pay more money for the world's problems.
Quote examples
T. Harv Eker
Canadian Author
Try paying the bills with love. The idea I am trying to espouse is that you can have both love and money, and be rich and generous.
Quote examples
Swara Bhaskar
Indian Actress
Being unapologetic about my body, my sexuality, my life's decisions is a political belief that, as a feminist, I strongly espouse.
Quote examples
Mike Barnicle
American Journalist
Political people give speeches and espouse positions declaring that America is the best and strongest nation in the world.
Quote examples
Linda Johnson Rice
American Businesswoman
My family has always made Chicago our home, and I care deeply about the values our company has espoused for decades.
Quote examples
Elaine Chao
American Politician
Activists have every right to espouse their views of utopia.
Quote examples
Alexandra Adornetto
Australian Author
The young people I know judge leaders by their deeds and abhor hypocrisy. Inconsistency and point-scoring do not win respect. It's not easy to be engaged in political debate when it is reduced to performers trying to outdo each other. Actions from leaders must mirror the values they claim to espouse.
Quote examples
Imelda Staunton
English Actress
Looking back, there is nothing wrong with that peace, love and equality that the hippies espoused. In many ways, we have regressed because they were into organic food, back to nature, make love not war, be good to all men, share and share alike - which is what many are talking about now.
Quote examples
Ann Widdecombe
British Politician
For most of my political life I was not ecstatic but I was happy because I had huge confidence in the causes I espoused and the work I was doing. Even under extreme pressure I was satisfied that I was fighting a good fight.
Quote examples
Josh Widdicombe
English Comedian
I have never bought into this view that some people have that the job of the comedian is to espouse opinions and change the world - I think the job of a comedian is to be funny.
Quote examples
Richard Grenell
American Diplomat
While other countries may espouse the liberal utopian dream of a global community, it's usually only to get the richer countries to pay more money for the world's problems.
Quote examples
T. Harv Eker
Canadian Author
Try paying the bills with love. The idea I am trying to espouse is that you can have both love and money, and be rich and generous.
Quote examples
Swara Bhaskar
Indian Actress
Being unapologetic about my body, my sexuality, my life's decisions is a political belief that, as a feminist, I strongly espouse.
Quote examples
Mike Barnicle
American Journalist
Political people give speeches and espouse positions declaring that America is the best and strongest nation in the world.
Quote examples
Linda Johnson Rice
American Businesswoman
My family has always made Chicago our home, and I care deeply about the values our company has espoused for decades.
Quote examples
Elaine Chao
American Politician
Activists have every right to espouse their views of utopia.
Example 1 of 10
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