adopt, embrace, espouse mean to take an opinion, policy, or practice as one's own. adopt implies accepting something created by another or foreign to one's nature.

ESPOUSE definition: to make one's own; adopt or embrace, as a cause. See examples of espouse used in a sentence.

To adhere to or advocate: espoused a contrarian viewpoint. 2. a. To take in marriage; marry. b. To give (a woman) in marriage. [Middle English espousen, to marry, from Old French espouser, from Latin …

ESPOUSE definition: 1. to become involved with or support an activity or opinion: 2. to become involved with or…. Learn more.

If you espouse a particular policy, cause, or belief, you become very interested in it and give your support to it.

Definition of espouse verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Apr 27, 2026 · espouse (third-person singular simple present espouses, present participle espousing, simple past and past participle espoused) (transitive) To marry.

Originally espouse did mean "to marry," but its meaning has evolved to include other long-term commitments as well, such as support for a principle or a cause. Similar to marriage, if you espouse …

Jan 13, 2026 · Ever wonder how to say you support or believe in something passionately? Or maybe how to describe someone who wholeheartedly champions an idea? Well, that’s where the word …

There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb espouse, two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.