1
as in marriage
a ceremony in which two people are united in matrimony the expected espousal of the Hollywood actor and the singing superstar should attract the elite of show business

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2
as in engagement
the act or state of being engaged to be married considering how long her previous marriage lasted, she'd be wise to have an extended espousal

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of espousal The tradition is an espousal of values, holding space for connection and unhurried conversation. Olivia Schellenberg, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2024 The 24-year-old is part of a community of women who have gained popularity — and notoriety — online for their espousal of what can feel like antiquated dating guidance. Angela Yang, NBC News, 18 Mar. 2024 He has been both praised and widely criticized for his espousal of the necessity of traditional gender roles. David Marchese David Marchese Photograph By Mamadi Doumbouya, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2023 Urged on by the president, whose espousal of conspiracy theories has only intensified in the waning weeks of his campaign, QAnon adherents are pushing such ideas into the conservative mainstream alongside more traditional issues like low taxes and limited government. Matthew Rosenberg, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2020 This meaning was intensified by the state’s staunch espousal of a unified French cultural and social identity, in opposition to multiculturalism. Time, 19 May 2021 First elected to Congress in 2020, Greene drew criticism for her espousal of extremist beliefs and using racist and antisemitic rhetoric. Shannon Larson, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Jan. 2023 Spotify’s Joe Rogan controversy—with musicians and podcasters removing their material from the platform in protest of Rogan’s espousal of COVID vaccine misinformation—is exposing cracks in its content strategy. Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 3 Feb. 2022 Lev Tahor’s choice of Iran is perhaps connected to its espousal of anti-Zionism. Asaf Shalev, sun-sentinel.com, 10 Nov. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for espousal
Noun
  • Milestones were squibs about births, deaths, and marriages, bits of information culled from newspapers and the wire services.
    John McPhee, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
  • Lopez and Affleck would later call off their engagement, blaming too much media attention, going on to separate relationships and marriages before rekindling their romance two decades later.
    Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Although much of Greenland's earlier optimism surrounding potential Chinese investment has waned, the government continues to push for trade and engagement that will translate foreign interest in Greenland into sustainable economic development.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 19 Jan. 2025
  • The ban disrupts marketing strategies and highlights the risks of over-reliance on a single platform for audience engagement.
    Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Brooke released a statement at the time of her dad's third wedding, choosing to give her side of the story amid rumors of the drama.
    Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
  • But the partiers weren’t just celebrating one wedding; a marathon run of seven couples had tied the knot that day.
    Oliver Haug, Them, 20 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near espousal

Cite this Entry

“Espousal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espousal. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.

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