How to Say "uphold" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “uphold” is “defender” — B2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
English → SpanishB2
verbB2
maintain a principle
Examples
Ella siempre defiende los derechos de los animales.
She always advocates for animal rights.
El abogado defendió la inocencia de su cliente en el juicio.
The lawyer defended his client's innocence in the trial.
Debemos defender nuestra postura en la reunión.
We must uphold our position in the meeting.
Defending Ideas
When you use 'defender' to talk about supporting an abstract concept (like 'rights' or 'ideals'), it works just like the physical meaning—you are protecting that concept.
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