espouse \iss-POWZ (OW as in “cow")\ verb

1 : marry
*2 : to take up and support as a cause : become attached to

Example sentence:
Many environmentalists have espoused the belief that global warming is a serious concern to the well-being of the planet.

Did you know?
As you might guess, the words “espouse” and “spouse” are related, both deriving from the Latin verb “spondēre,” meaning “to betroth.” In fact, the two were once completely interchangeable, with each serving as a noun meaning “a newly married person” or “a husband or wife” and also as a verb meaning “to marry.” Their semantic separation began in the 17th century, when the noun “espouse” fell out of use. Around the same time, people started using the verb “espouse” figuratively to mean “to commit to and support a cause.” “Spouse” continued to be used in both noun and verb forms until the 19th century, when its verb senses waned and it came to be used mainly as a noun meaning “husband or wife.”

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.