44 Idioms for Support
Sometimes saying “I’m here for you” isn’t enough. When friends or family face tough times, we want to show we care in bigger ways. That’s where idioms come in. Idioms are special phrases that help us express support more strongly and meaningfully. They make our words feel warmer and show people we truly care about them.
This article will explore idioms that show support. These phrases can help you speak kindly to others who need encouragement and express your caring feelings in a thoughtful way. You’ll also find a short activity to practice using these idioms in real situations.
Idioms for Support
1. Have someone’s back
Meaning: Always support and protect someone.
Sentence Example: Don’t worry about the bullies – I have your back. / My big sister always has my back when I’m scared.
Other Ways to Say: Stand by someone / Be there for them
2. Stand by someone
Meaning: Stay loyal and supportive during hard times.
Sentence Example: I will stand by you no matter what happens. / My friends stood by me when I was sick.
Other Ways to Say: Stick with someone / Support them
3. Be there for someone
Meaning: Offer help and support when needed.
Sentence Example: I’ll be there for you if you need to talk. / Mom is always there for me when I’m sad.
Other Ways to Say: Support someone / Help them out
4. Lend a helping hand
Meaning: Offer to help someone with their problems.
Sentence Example: Let me lend a helping hand with your homework. / The neighbor lent a helping hand when Dad was moving boxes.
Other Ways to Say: Give assistance / Help out
5. Go to bat for someone
Meaning: Defend or support someone strongly.
Sentence Example: My teacher went to bat for me when I was wrongly blamed. / Dad went to bat for our team when parents complained.
Other Ways to Say: Stick up for / Defend someone
6. Rally around someone
Meaning: Come together to support a person in need.
Sentence Example: The whole class rallied around Sam when his dog was sick. / Our family rallied around Grandma after her fall.
Other Ways to Say: Come together / Unite to help
7. Hold someone up
Meaning: Give emotional or physical support.
Sentence Example: My best friend held me up during my parents’ divorce. / The team held up their injured player.
Other Ways to Say: Support someone / Keep them strong
8. Stick by someone
Meaning: Stay loyal and supportive.
Sentence Example: I’ll stick by you through thick and thin. / My dog sticks by me even when I’m grumpy.
Other Ways to Say: Stay with / Remain loyal
9. Keep someone afloat
Meaning: Help someone survive difficult times.
Sentence Example: My family’s love kept me afloat during hard times. / Good friends keep each other afloat.
Other Ways to Say: Help survive / Keep going
10. Shore someone up
Meaning: Give someone strength and confidence.
Sentence Example: Her kind words shored me up before the big test. / The coach shored up the team’s confidence.
Other Ways to Say: Build up / Strengthen
11. Pick someone up
Meaning: Help someone feel better when they’re down.
Sentence Example: My friends picked me up when I was feeling sad. / A funny movie always picks up my mood.
Other Ways to Say: Cheer up / Make feel better
12. Give someone a leg up
Meaning: Help someone get started or succeed.
Sentence Example: My older brother gave me a leg up with my math homework. / The tutor gave her a leg up in reading.
Other Ways to Say: Give a boost / Help get ahead
13. Be a shoulder to cry on
Meaning: Offer comfort to someone who is upset.
Sentence Example: My mom is always a shoulder to cry on when I’m sad. / She was a shoulder to cry on after my pet died.
Other Ways to Say: Comfort someone / Listen and care
14. Pull for someone
Meaning: Hope for someone’s success and support them.
Sentence Example: Everyone in school is pulling for you to win the race. / I’m pulling for my friend to get the part in the play.
Other Ways to Say: Root for / Cheer on
15. Circle the wagons
Meaning: Come together to protect and support someone.
Sentence Example: When bullies picked on Tim, his friends circled the wagons. / The family circled the wagons when Mom got sick.
Other Ways to Say: Protect together / Unite for defense
16. Keep someone in your prayers
Meaning: Think of someone with care and hope for their wellbeing.
Sentence Example: I’ll keep you in my prayers during your surgery. / Grandma keeps all her grandkids in her prayers.
Other Ways to Say: Think of kindly / Wish well
17. Give someone a hand
Meaning: Help someone with what they need.
Sentence Example: Can you give me a hand carrying these books? / My neighbor gave us a hand moving furniture.
Other Ways to Say: Help out / Assist
18. Stand up for someone
Meaning: Defend someone against criticism or attack.
Sentence Example: I stood up for my little brother when kids teased him. / The teacher stood up for the quiet student.
Other Ways to Say: Defend / Protect from harm
19. Take someone under your wing
Meaning: Guide and protect someone who needs help.
Sentence Example: The older student took the new kid under her wing. / My coach took me under his wing when I joined the team.
Other Ways to Say: Mentor / Guide and protect
20. Root for someone
Meaning: Support and encourage someone to succeed.
Sentence Example: I’m rooting for you to pass your driving test. / The whole family is rooting for Dad’s promotion.
Other Ways to Say: Cheer for / Support
21. Throw someone a lifeline
Meaning: Help someone when they’re in serious trouble.
Sentence Example: My teacher threw me a lifeline by letting me retake the test. / Dad threw me a lifeline when I forgot my lunch money.
Other Ways to Say: Rescue / Save from trouble
22. Go the distance
Meaning: Support someone completely, no matter how hard.
Sentence Example: True friends go the distance when you need them. / My family went the distance to help me succeed.
Other Ways to Say: Stay committed / Support fully
23. Be in someone’s corner
Meaning: Support someone, especially during challenges.
Sentence Example: I know my parents are in my corner no matter what. / Having a good friend in your corner makes everything easier.
Other Ways to Say: Support / Be on someone’s side
24. Cover someone’s back
Meaning: Protect someone from harm or trouble.
Sentence Example: I’ll cover your back if you need to leave early. / My teammate covered my back when I made a mistake.
Other Ways to Say: Protect / Watch out for
25. Pull someone through
Meaning: Help someone survive a difficult situation.
Sentence Example: My family’s support pulled me through my illness. / Good friends can pull you through hard times.
Other Ways to Say: Help survive / Get through together
26. Give moral support
Meaning: Encourage someone with your presence and words.
Sentence Example: Even though I can’t help with homework, I can give moral support. / Dad gave moral support by cheering at my game.
Other Ways to Say: Encourage / Cheer on
27. Stand behind someone
Meaning: Support someone’s decisions and actions.
Sentence Example: I stand behind your choice to join the art club. / Our teacher stands behind students who work hard.
Other Ways to Say: Back up / Support fully
28. Boost someone up
Meaning: Help someone feel more confident and strong.
Sentence Example: Her encouragement boosted me up before the speech. / A kind word can boost someone up all day.
Other Ways to Say: Encourage / Build confidence
29. Have someone’s six
Meaning: Watch someone’s back and protect them.
Sentence Example: Don’t worry about those mean kids – I have your six. / Soldiers always have each other’s six.
Other Ways to Say: Watch your back / Protect you
30. Carry the torch
Meaning: Continue supporting someone’s goals or dreams.
Sentence Example: After Grandpa got sick, Dad carried the torch for the family business. / I’ll carry the torch and finish what you started.
Other Ways to Say: Continue the mission / Keep going
31. Be someone’s rock
Meaning: Be a steady, reliable source of support.
Sentence Example: My mom is my rock when everything feels crazy. / A good friend is like a rock you can always count on.
Other Ways to Say: Be steady support / Be reliable
32. Lend moral support
Meaning: Offer encouragement and comfort.
Sentence Example: I can’t fix your problem, but I can lend moral support. / Sometimes just lending moral support is enough.
Other Ways to Say: Give encouragement / Offer comfort
33. Hold down the fort
Meaning: Take care of things while someone else is away or struggling.
Sentence Example: I’ll hold down the fort while you’re at the doctor. / My sister held down the fort when Mom was sick.
Other Ways to Say: Take care of things / Keep things running
34. Keep someone going
Meaning: Give someone the strength to continue.
Sentence Example: Your friendship keeps me going through tough times. / Encouraging words keep students going.
Other Ways to Say: Give strength / Help continue
35. Back someone up
Meaning: Support someone’s story or actions.
Sentence Example: I’ll back you up if you tell the teacher what happened. / My friends always back me up when I’m right.
Other Ways to Say: Support / Confirm
36. Be a tower of strength
Meaning: Be very strong and supportive for someone.
Sentence Example: Grandma was a tower of strength when Grandpa was sick. / Teachers can be towers of strength for struggling students.
Other Ways to Say: Be very supportive / Strong helper
37. Keep someone on their feet
Meaning: Help someone stay strong during hard times.
Sentence Example: My family’s love keeps me on my feet. / Good friends keep each other on their feet.
Other Ways to Say: Keep strong / Help stay up
38. Stand in the gap
Meaning: Help when there’s a need or problem.
Sentence Example: My teacher stood in the gap when I needed extra help. / Volunteers stand in the gap for people in need.
Other Ways to Say: Fill the need / Help where needed
39. Weather the storm together
Meaning: Support each other through difficult times.
Sentence Example: Our family weathered the storm together when Dad lost his job. / True friends weather storms together.
Other Ways to Say: Get through hard times / Support during trouble
40. Rally to someone’s side
Meaning: Quickly come to support someone who needs help.
Sentence Example: When Sarah got hurt, everyone rallied to her side. / The community rallied to our side after the fire.
Other Ways to Say: Come to help / Rush to support
41. Be someone’s champion
Meaning: Actively support and defend someone.
Sentence Example: My dad is my champion at every baseball game. / The principal was the champion for students who needed help.
Other Ways to Say: Be their supporter / Fight for them
42. Lift someone up
Meaning: Help someone feel better and more confident.
Sentence Example: Your kind words really lift me up. / A good teacher knows how to lift up struggling students.
Other Ways to Say: Encourage / Make feel better
43. Walk alongside someone
Meaning: Stay with someone through their journey or struggle.
Sentence Example: I’ll walk alongside you as you learn to ride your bike. / Good friends walk alongside each other through life.
Other Ways to Say: Go with / Stay beside
44. Keep faith with someone
Meaning: Stay loyal and keep believing in someone.
Sentence Example: Even when I made mistakes, my parents kept faith with me. / A coach keeps faith with players even when they struggle.
Other Ways to Say: Stay loyal / Keep believing
Exercise to Practice
Fill in the blanks with the right idiom from the list:
- When my friend was scared of the test, I told her I would _______ no matter what.
- After I broke my leg, my teammates _______ and helped me get to class.
- My little brother knows I always _______ when kids at school are mean.
- The teacher promised to _______ when I talked to my parents about the grade.
- During the scary movie, my friend was _______ when I got frightened.
- When our neighbor got sick, the whole street _______ to bring food and help.
- My mom is always _______ when I need to talk about problems.
- The coach told us he would _______ through the whole season.
- When I was learning to swim, my instructor _______ until I felt confident.
- After the storm damaged our house, our friends _______ to help us clean up.
- My big sister _______ and showed me how to do my science project.
- When Dad was in the hospital, our family had to _______ together.
- I promised my best friend I would _______ during her piano recital.
- The counselor helped _______ the sad student after his pet died.
- During the hard times, my grandmother was _______ for our whole family.
Answer Key
- have your back
- rallied around me
- have my back
- go to bat for me
- a shoulder to cry on
- rallied around
- there for me
- stand by us
- took me under her wing
- rallied to our side
- gave me a leg up
- weather the storm
- be in your corner
- lift up
- a tower of strength
Conclusion
Using idioms about support is a powerful way to show you care. They help your words feel stronger and more meaningful. Whether it’s for a friend going through a tough time, a family member who needs encouragement, or a classmate facing challenges, these phrases can help you speak from the heart.
Try to use a few of these idioms in your daily life. A simple “I have your back” or “I’m in your corner” can make someone feel less alone and more supported. Sometimes the right words at the right time can make all the difference in someone’s day.
