1
as in braces
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
Kelly fortified herself for the basketball tournament with a series of confidence-boosting exercises
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strengthens
to increase the ability of (as a muscle) to exert physical force
he downed another granola bar to fortify himself for the rest of the bike ride
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hardens
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
bought lots of warm clothing to fortify ourselves against the cold
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fortifies
What fortifies it the most is an appearance from Williams’ grandfather midway through the song.
—
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2026
Excited yet anxious over the prospect of reconnecting with the man that got away, the pair fortifies themselves with cocktails and bubbly during a boozy dinner.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Justin Faulk immediately fortifies Detroit’s second defense pair next to Ben Chiarot.
—The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Adding keratin back into hair fortifies the strands ultimately yielding stronger, healthier hair.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
Trading for Vucevic fortifies Boston’s front court–and provides a valuable play-making skill set to complement Jaylen Brown in a season worthy of MVP consideration.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
That night, Pam fortifies herself with a few drinks and answers when the phone rings.
—Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 conservative majority regularly fortifies religious rights, but the justices have also been wary of expanding government officials’ exposure to damages in their individual capacities.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 10 Nov. 2025
Rice protein fortifies each strand to reduce breakage, while hyaluronic acid provides weightless hydration so hair stays soft without feeling heavy.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2026
Excited yet anxious over the prospect of reconnecting with the man that got away, the pair fortifies themselves with cocktails and bubbly during a boozy dinner.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Justin Faulk immediately fortifies Detroit’s second defense pair next to Ben Chiarot.
—The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Adding keratin back into hair fortifies the strands ultimately yielding stronger, healthier hair.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
Trading for Vucevic fortifies Boston’s front court–and provides a valuable play-making skill set to complement Jaylen Brown in a season worthy of MVP consideration.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
That night, Pam fortifies herself with a few drinks and answers when the phone rings.
—Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 conservative majority regularly fortifies religious rights, but the justices have also been wary of expanding government officials’ exposure to damages in their individual capacities.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 10 Nov. 2025
Rice protein fortifies each strand to reduce breakage, while hyaluronic acid provides weightless hydration so hair stays soft without feeling heavy.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortifies
Verb
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Local officials were assessing the extent of the damage and impact — as the region braces for more possible tornadoes in the days ahead.—
Ben Noll,
Washington Post,
24 Apr. 2026
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While Silicon Valley braces for overnight layoffs, is China faring any better?—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The latest, published in Nature today, strengthens the case that LAP1-B is an early cosmic puzzle piece packed with material freshly manufactured by dying Population III stars.—
Lee Billings,
Scientific American,
13 May 2026
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Pacific Ocean projections for 2026 An array of model images, including these from the North American multi-modal ensemble model, project water in the Pacific Ocean will be much warmer than normal by summer, as an El Niño strengthens.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The event will temporarily move to Laurel Park with a limited crowd as Pimlico readies for 2027.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
16 May 2026
-
Mercedes seemed more catchable than in the opening three races of the 2026 calendar, a blip on the radar as the team readies a bigger upgrade package for the Canadian Grand Prix this month.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fortifies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortifies. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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