close ranks
When the members of a group or organization close ranks, they make an effort to stay united, especially in order to defend themselves from severe criticism:
In the past, the party would have closed ranks around its leader and defended him loyally.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Backing, supporting & defending
- -backed
- argumentation
- bale out
- bear
- behind every great/successful man there stands a woman idiom
- buttress
- carry
- defensible
- endorse
- espouse
- fight your corner idiom
- right behind sb idiom
- speak
- stake
- stand by sb
- stand by sth
- stand shoulder to shoulder with sb idiom
- strike
- sympathize
- sympathy
See more results »