prop up

Verb

prop up (third-person singular simple present props up, present participle propping up, simple past and past participle propped up)

1. (transitive) To support with, or as if with, a prop.
   • A $465 million federal loan in 2010 helped prop up Tesla at a crucial juncture, and its customers have benefitted from hefty tax incentives.2021 December 13, Molly Ball, Jeffrey Kluger, Alejandro de la Garza, “Elon Musk: Person of the Year 2021”, in Time Magazine, archived from the original on 13 Dec 2021
   • A.I.-related investments have helped carry the economy through a tumultuous period; the stock market boom has helped prop up consumer spending as wage growth has cooled.2026 June 13, Ben Casselman, “Wages Are Falling. Wealth Is Surging. No Wonder Americans Are Unhappy.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   Synonyms:

   shore up

2. (idiomatic, transitive) To be at the bottom of (a league).
   • Under Moyes, United have fewer home points (21) than Norwich City and Hull City, with their count of 18 goals the same as Fulham and Cardiff City, who prop up the table.2014 March 26, Jamie Jackson, “Fans' revolt leaves David Moyes dead man walking at Manchester United”, in The Guardian