1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example 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 Trump administration is also unwinding another key tool of American soft power: the country’s espousal of liberal democratic values.
—
Robert O. Keohane, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2025
Supporting Yoon’s impeachment, Lee has also condemned Yoon’s unconstitutional abuse of martial law and espousal of election fraud conspiracy theory.
—Jong Eun Lee, The Conversation, 29 May 2025
The actually existing transatlantic relationship has long been based on a common espousal of liberal democracy, built on the legacy of defeating fascism in World War II.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2025
The actually existing transatlantic relationship has long been based on a common espousal of liberal democracy, built on the legacy of defeating fascism in World War II.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2025
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
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
Robert O. Keohane, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2025
Supporting Yoon’s impeachment, Lee has also condemned Yoon’s unconstitutional abuse of martial law and espousal of election fraud conspiracy theory.
—Jong Eun Lee, The Conversation, 29 May 2025
The actually existing transatlantic relationship has long been based on a common espousal of liberal democracy, built on the legacy of defeating fascism in World War II.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2025
The actually existing transatlantic relationship has long been based on a common espousal of liberal democracy, built on the legacy of defeating fascism in World War II.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2025
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for espousal
Noun
-
Their son, Monty, was born in 2017, with each having one child from their previous marriages.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
-
Off-screen, many of them have been in marriages for almost the same amount of time.—
Jacqueline Weiss,
People.com,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Around 2001, Victoria appeared to swap out her original engagement ring for an eternity band that featured white diamonds.—
Kelsie Gibson,
People.com,
6 July 2025
-
These are part of what Singh calls best practices for boutique hotels to seek community engagement.—
Ramsey Qubein,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
The couple celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary in February.—
Kirsty Hatcher,
People.com,
7 July 2025
-
Some people love wedding planning and being engaged.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Espousal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espousal. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share