Unsupported means lacking the backing, help, or proof needed to stand firm.

When a bookshelf is unsupported on one side, it might wobble or fall. When a claim is unsupported, there's no evidence to prove it's true. If you tell your teacher that ancient Egyptians had helicopters, she'll ask for your sources. Without proof, your claim remains unsupported.

The word appears often in arguments and reasoning. Suppose a friend insists that watching TV improves math grades. You might respond, “That's an unsupported claim. Show me the research.” Scientists reject unsupported theories. Judges dismiss unsupported accusations. In school essays, unsupported statements are those bold declarations sitting there without facts, examples, or quotes to back them up.

The word also describes people who lack help or resources. A student working on a difficult project without guidance might feel unsupported. A community without good schools or libraries is unsupported in its efforts to educate children.

Whether it's a wobbly structure, a questionable claim, or a person facing challenges, unsupported means standing without the necessary foundation to succeed or be believed.