supporter
- 01 B1 Intermediate
someone who follows and cheers for a particular sports team.
a person who follows a specific sports team or athlete, often attending matches and showing public loyalty.
Simple“Thousands of football supporters gathered outside the stadium to celebrate the win.”
In context“The club's loyal supporters remained in the stands long after the final whistle, singing anthems to show their appreciation for the team's effort.”
UsageCommonly used in British English where American English would prefer 'fan'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
someone who agrees with and helps a political leader, a law, or an idea.
an individual who provides active backing or advocacy for a political party, candidate, or social cause.
Simple“The candidate thanked her supporters for their hard work during the election.”
In context“Supporters of the new environmental policy argue that the long-term ecological benefits far outweigh the initial implementation costs.”
Teacher's tipIn a political context, 'supporter' is more neutral than 'activist' or 'partisan'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
a thing that holds something else up or keeps it in place.
a structural or functional object designed to bear weight or maintain the position of another part.
Simple“The shelf needs an extra supporter in the middle so it doesn't bend.”
In context“Engineers identified a hairline fracture in the primary steel supporter, necessitating an immediate suspension of the construction project.”
From Middle English supporter, supportour, equivalent to support + -er.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.