nonsupport

noun

non·​sup·​port ˌnän-sə-ˈpȯrt How to pronounce nonsupport (audio)
: failure to support
specifically : failure (as of a parent) to honor a statutory or contractual obligation to provide maintenance

Examples of nonsupport in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Beijing would be relieved that the United States is no longer muddying and in fact strengthening its nonsupport for independence. — Stephen Wertheim, Foreign Affairs, 28 Oct. 2025 Vallow is currently on trial for multiple charges, including two felony counts of desertion and nonsupport of children, according to a criminal complaint filed with an Idaho court. — Konstantin Toropin, CNN, 10 June 2020 Sina Pili, 39, is set to be arraigned this week after a grand jury indicted the social worker on charges of manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a minor and persistent nonsupport. — Chris Spargo, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025 After Vallow and her husband were found in Hawaii, she was arrested in February and extradited to Idaho on charges of desertion and nonsupport of dependent children. — NBC News, 9 June 2020 See All Example Sentences for nonsupport

Word History

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonsupport was in 1851

Rhymes for nonsupport

See All Rhymes for nonsupport

Browse Nearby Words

nonsupervisory
nonsupport
nonsurgical
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nonsupport.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonsupport. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

nonsupport

noun
non·​sup·​port ˌnän(t)-sə-ˈpō(ə)rt How to pronounce nonsupport (audio)
-ˈpȯ(ə)rt
: failure to support
especially : failure to provide legally required financial support

Legal Definition

nonsupport

noun
non·​sup·​port ˌnän-sə-ˈpȯrt How to pronounce nonsupport (audio)
: failure (as of a parent) to honor a statutory or contractual obligation to provide support
also : the crime of such failure to support

More from Merriam-Webster on nonsupport

Nglish: Translation of nonsupport for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All