endorse

endorse — verb

1. to state in public that you are in favour of a person, idea, policy, or action,

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to state in public that you are in favour of a person, idea, policy, or action, giving them your visible backing.

Example

The mayor formally endorsed the new housing plan during the city council meeting.

formal register with policy noun phrase

Sivan's colleagues endorsed her proposal after she explained the budget details.

Common collocations
  • publicly endorse
  • formally endorse
  • strongly endorse
  • endorse a candidate
  • endorse a policy
  • endorse a proposal
Synonyms
  • support

    broader and less formal; can be private or passive, whereas endorse is always active and public

  • back

    stronger, often implying financial or material help, not just verbal approval

  • recommend

    suggests a judgement of quality rather than an ideological or political stance

  • sanction

    more formal and official, often from an authority with legal power to permit or forbid

Antonyms
  • oppose

    to be against or actively resist

  • condemn

    to express strong disapproval, often in moral terms

  • boycott

    to refuse to support as a form of protest

Grammar Patterns

endorse + noun phrase

endorse + that-clause

be endorsed by + noun phrase

Usage Note

Often used in political, organisational, and professional contexts. The subject is typically a person, group, or institution, and the object can be a person, proposal, policy, or idea.

Common Mistakes

I endorse my friend's decision to quit her job.
I support my friend's decision to quit her job.
'endorse' implies a formal, public statement, not casual personal agreement.
The committee endorsed to approve the budget.
The committee endorsed the budget.
'endorse' is transitive and takes a direct noun object, not an infinitive.

2. to be paid to appear in public recommending a product you genuinely use, especia

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to be paid to appear in public recommending a product you genuinely use, especially in a television commercial or on social media.

Example

Romi endorsed the sports drink in a television commercial shown during the match.

endorse + product in television commercial

The company paid the tennis player to endorse its running shoes on social media.

Common collocations
  • endorse a product
  • endorse a brand
  • celebrity endorsement
  • paid to endorse
Synonyms
  • promote

    wider meaning; includes any marketing effort, not necessarily personal use

  • advertise

    focuses on the act of making something known, not on personal approval

  • plug

    informal; to mention favourably, often briefly or casually

Antonyms
  • boycott

    to refuse to buy or use as a protest

  • criticise

    to point out faults publicly

Grammar Patterns

endorse + noun phrase (product / brand / service)

Usage Note

This sense is strongly associated with celebrity and influencer culture. The endorser is typically paid or receives free products. In American English, this sense is especially common in sports and cosmetics marketing.

Common Mistakes

❌ 'The doctor endorsed the medicine in a TV ad.' (implies paid promotion) — This is correct for product endorsement, but be aware this sense specifically means the person genuinely uses the product. If the doctor has never used it, 'promoted' is more accurate.

3. to sign your name across the reverse side of a financial paper, such as a cheque

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to sign your name across the reverse side of a financial paper, such as a cheque, thereby allowing it to be passed on to a different recipient or deposited into an account.

Example

Allison forgot to endorse the cheque before depositing it at the bank counter.

endorse cheque for deposit

Tendai endorsed the promissory note and handed it to the lender.

Common collocations
  • endorse a cheque
  • endorse a check
  • endorse a document
  • endorse over to someone
  • endorse for deposit
Synonyms
  • sign

    general term for writing your signature; less specific about the purpose or location

  • countersign

    to sign a document already signed by someone else, as a second approval

Grammar Patterns

endorse + cheque / check / document

endorse + noun phrase + over to + person

Usage Note

Frequently passive ('the cheque must be endorsed'). In American English, the spelling 'check' is standard, though 'cheque' is used in British English. This is the original, historical sense of the word.

Common Mistakes

Please endorse the front of the cheque.
Please endorse the back of the cheque.
'endorse' literally means to write on the back (from Latin 'dorsum' meaning back).
I endorsed the cheque to my bank account.
I endorsed the cheque for deposit into my bank account.
The cheque itself is endorsed; the account receives the funds.

4. to formally note on someone's driving licence that they have broken traffic laws

4.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to formally note on someone's driving licence that they have broken traffic laws, usually by adding penalty points after a court hearing or a fixed-penalty notice.

Example

The court endorsed the driver's licence after the speeding conviction.

court endorses licence after conviction

Sora received six points endorsed on his driving record for a red-light violation.

passive: points are endorsed on record

Common collocations
  • endorse a licence
  • endorsed with points
  • driving licence endorsement
  • penalty points endorsed

Grammar Patterns

endorse + licence / driving record

be endorsed with + penalty points

Usage Note

Strictly British English. In the UK, driving licence endorsements are commonly called 'penalty points.' If a driver accumulates twelve points within three years, they may be disqualified from driving. This sense does not exist in American English.

Common Mistakes

The police officer endorsed my licence at the roadside.
The court endorsed my licence after I was convicted of speeding.
Endorsement is an official legal process, not done by a police officer during a traffic stop.
I got my passport endorsed at the airport.
I got my driving licence endorsed after a speeding ticket.
This sense applies only to driving licences in the UK, not to passports or other ID documents.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These words all relate to expressing a favourable position, but differ in formality, scope, and implication. 'Support' (支持) is the broadest — it can be active or passive, public or private ('I support the idea of free school meals'). 'Endorse' (背書) is more formal and always implies a public, often explicit statement ('The newspaper endorsed the opposition candidate'). 'Back' (支持/資助) carries a stronger sense of active help, often financial ('A group of investors backed the start-up'). 'Approve' (贊成/批准) suggests official agreement or meeting a standard ('The board approved the budget'). 'Recommend' (推薦) implies a judgement of quality or suitability ('I recommend this book for beginners'). 'Sanction' (核准/制裁) is the most formal, often from an authority with legal power. In a sentence: 'A local MP supported the campaign, but the party leader officially endorsed it, and the treasury sanctioned the funding.'

support ↗back ↗approve ↗recommend ↗sanction ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • endorse the idea of
  • endorse someone for a position

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'endorse' traces back to medieval Latin 'indorsare', a combination of 'in-' (on) and 'dorsum' (back). Its original meaning was literally 'to write on the back' of a document. In the 17th century, the term was used for signing the back of a bill or cheque to transfer ownership. By the 19th century, the meaning expanded metaphorically to 'giving one's name and reputation in support of' a person or idea. The UK driving licence sense is a late 20th-century legal extension.