fortify
verb
Jim NelsonSelene Yeager
Did you know?
Medieval cities were fortified against attack by high walls, and volunteers may fortify a levee against an overflowing river by means of sandbags. Foods can be fortified by adding vitamins, but "fortified wines", such as sherry and port, have brandy (a "stronger" drink) rather than vitamins added to them. By adopting good exercise habits, you can fortify your body against illness. And fortifying needn't always be physical. An author's reputation may be fortified by the success of his new book, or a prosecutor can fortify a case against a suspect by finding more evidence.
Examples of fortify in a Sentence
Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
At the helm is Iran’s ailing 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who spent decades trying to fortify his regime from domestic and foreign threats, but must now contend with a failing strategy.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
Hart ultimately was left off the NL Wild Card Series roster and his club option was not picked up, but the Padres quickly re-signed him to a big-league deal to fortify pitching depth.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Dec. 2025
Some are also fortified with vitamins, minerals, or probiotics to provide extra benefits, so check the label.
—Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fortify
Cite this Entry
“Fortify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fortify. Accessed 5 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fortify
verb
Share