1
as in supports
a structure that holds up or serves as a foundation for something else
wore a brace for the injured knee
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in pairs
two things of the same or similar kind that match or are considered together
bagged a brace of pheasants
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in stimulates
to give life, vigor, or spirit to
the pep talk braced the team up for the second half
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in carries
to hold up or serve as a foundation for
several boards braced the wall
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in fortifies
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
she braced herself for the job interview
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of braces
Michael Kaplan,
CBS News,
24 June 2026
The new ones appear reassuringly sturdy, even without the thicket of cross-braces that typically fence off the sidewalk from the street.
—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
24 June 2026
Authorities said the operation used call centers to steer patients toward medically unnecessary orthopedic braces.
—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2026
The discrepancy stems from Medicare not paying all of his bills for thousands of orthotic braces.
—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
Mazumder worked in internal medicine, and as an independent contractor signed more than 3,000 orders for unnecessary medical equipment like orthopedic braces for people insured by Medicare and TRICARE, a medical program for active and retired military personnel and their families.
—
Julia Coin
june 9,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
Standing with the aid of the heavy steel braces on his legs and of his son James, who held his left elbow, Roosevelt had thrown out the first ball.
—
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
Another worker—in her late teens, with pink hair and braces—was renamed Chloe Skittles and posed in a room with jars of candy above the bed.
—
Heidi Blake,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
But modern braces are designed to move teeth more effectively and with as little pain as possible, and the bandeau was much more of a blunt instrument.
—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
3 June 2026
Lauren Morganbesser,
semafor.com,
28 June 2026
As cybersecurity braces for a post-quantum world where standard encryption keys will become obsolete, Q-Dice offers a concrete line of defense.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
22 June 2026
From Spain’s Basque Country to southern England, Europe braces for days of triple-digit heat, a preview of increasingly deadly summers linked to climate change and strained emergency systems.
—
Angela Charlton,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
ComEd is responding to over 5,000 active outages as the Chicago area braces for multiple rounds of severe storms on Thursday.
—
Darius Johnson,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Kochen’s chain of about 30 companies — which operated under the CLADD Group LLC in North Miami — sold durable medical equipment such as knee, shoulder and wrist braces to patients who were referred by doctors affiliated with Herek’s telemedicine business, VirtualNet.
—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
As New York City braces for a stretch of 80-degree days this week, Tribeca’s 25th anniversary edition is also bringing some serious heat to New York’s after-hours circuit.
—
Anna Tingley,
Variety,
7 June 2026
Although the novel’s center does not quite hold, O’Farrell’s emotional intelligence — the heart and heat of her characters — braces this sometimes unwieldy chronicle of a nation that has been subject to cumbrous historic agonies.
—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
Now, New York braces for a potential showdown with either the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder or Victor Wembanyama’s rising San Antonio Spurs.
—
Alejandro Avila Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
The soldiers, according to witnesses, instead triaged themselves with makeshift bandages, braces and tourniquets.
—
Michael Kaplan,
CBS News,
24 June 2026
The new ones appear reassuringly sturdy, even without the thicket of cross-braces that typically fence off the sidewalk from the street.
—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
24 June 2026
Authorities said the operation used call centers to steer patients toward medically unnecessary orthopedic braces.
—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2026
The discrepancy stems from Medicare not paying all of his bills for thousands of orthotic braces.
—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
Mazumder worked in internal medicine, and as an independent contractor signed more than 3,000 orders for unnecessary medical equipment like orthopedic braces for people insured by Medicare and TRICARE, a medical program for active and retired military personnel and their families.
—
Julia Coin
june 9,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
Standing with the aid of the heavy steel braces on his legs and of his son James, who held his left elbow, Roosevelt had thrown out the first ball.
—
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
Another worker—in her late teens, with pink hair and braces—was renamed Chloe Skittles and posed in a room with jars of candy above the bed.
—
Heidi Blake,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
But modern braces are designed to move teeth more effectively and with as little pain as possible, and the bandeau was much more of a blunt instrument.
—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
3 June 2026
Verb
Thousands of migrants are fleeing South Africa as the country braces for violence after an anti-immigrant group set a Tuesday deadline for all undocumented migrants to leave.
—
Lauren Morganbesser,
semafor.com,
28 June 2026
As cybersecurity braces for a post-quantum world where standard encryption keys will become obsolete, Q-Dice offers a concrete line of defense.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
22 June 2026
From Spain’s Basque Country to southern England, Europe braces for days of triple-digit heat, a preview of increasingly deadly summers linked to climate change and strained emergency systems.
—
Angela Charlton,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
ComEd is responding to over 5,000 active outages as the Chicago area braces for multiple rounds of severe storms on Thursday.
—
Darius Johnson,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Kochen’s chain of about 30 companies — which operated under the CLADD Group LLC in North Miami — sold durable medical equipment such as knee, shoulder and wrist braces to patients who were referred by doctors affiliated with Herek’s telemedicine business, VirtualNet.
—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
As New York City braces for a stretch of 80-degree days this week, Tribeca’s 25th anniversary edition is also bringing some serious heat to New York’s after-hours circuit.
—
Anna Tingley,
Variety,
7 June 2026
Although the novel’s center does not quite hold, O’Farrell’s emotional intelligence — the heart and heat of her characters — braces this sometimes unwieldy chronicle of a nation that has been subject to cumbrous historic agonies.
—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
Now, New York braces for a potential showdown with either the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder or Victor Wembanyama’s rising San Antonio Spurs.
—
Alejandro Avila Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
26 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for braces
Noun
-
The press cabin contains 14 lie-flat pods, including large tan leather seats with luxury features such as lumbar supports and massage functions.
-
Officers were housed in a one-story structure atop the deck, which also featured antiaircraft guns and a kitchen, while crew quarters were in the concrete supports.
Noun
-
Style it with platform sandals or chunky heels, or go casual with a pair of white sneakers.
-
Bermuda shorts are a hot commodity this summer, and this denim pair is sure to hug your curves in all the right places.
Verb
-
But medication reduces only the symptoms of fear, not the underlying trigger that stimulates it.
-
This hormone improves insulin sensitivity and stimulates GLP-1 secretion.
Verb
-
But Kimball House’s award-winning bar program more than carries its own weight.
-
Tianwen-2 carries both a touch-and-go sampling system and an anchor-and-attach mechanism equipped with drills for collecting surface material.
Verb
-
Inside, soy proteins repair and strengthen, copper peptides stimulate keratin production–aka the protein that fortifies and minimizes frizz–and pro-B vitamins amplify fullness.
-
The Olive and June product can also be applied daily to bare nails as an intensive strengthening treatment that not only fortifies your claws, but also repairs ridges, discoloration, and pesky peeling along the way.
Noun
-
Rubber reinforcements also line the toe, running into a sole unit with a moderate amount of tread that should carry its wearer from a trail to a body of water.
-
In the first weeks of the war, the Syrian military sent reinforcements to the border with Lebanon, which officials said aimed to stop cross-border weapons smuggling or any spillover of the conflict.
Noun
-
A lot of couples just don’t attend cocktail hour because of photos and that’s totally fine.
-
While delaying benefits is typically optimal, a hypothetical 22% cut by 2033 significantly shifts optimal claiming ages for many single individuals, potentially encouraging earlier filing, but often not for married couples.
Verb
-
Jim added that he would be inclined to trim Meta if the stock spikes.
-
The uniform mounded shape and purple hues of the flower spikes, along with the contrasting silvery foliage, add attractive structure and framing along the edges of paved walkways.
Cite this Entry
“Braces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/braces. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
