Meaning & use
espousal
Last updated
The act of adopting or giving support to a cause, belief, or plan.
See it in a sentence
His public espousal of the reform bill surprised many of his colleagues.
The senator's espousal of free trade shaped her entire campaign.
A note on using this word
Espousal originally referred to a betrothal or marriage ceremony before broadening to mean supporting a cause, echoing the idea of being 'wedded' to an idea.
Words with a similar meaning
supportadvocacy
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
rejectionopposition
Another way to use it
2. noun
A formal engagement or marriage ceremony (archaic).
The espousal took place in the village chapel before the wedding feast.
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