1
as in braces
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
Kelly fortified herself for the basketball tournament with a series of confidence-boosting exercises
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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
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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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Recent Examples of fortifies
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
Beyond aesthetics, the $11 formula fortifies your fingernails, no matter how damaged.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 5 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
Trying to stay ahead of the game, for Dick’s the acquisition of Foot Locker also fortifies relationships with Nike and Adidas, which still dominate global footwear sales, and gives Dick’s negotiating leverage.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The future Hall of Famer only fortifies the talented roster, and gives Houston an experienced star who has the championship hardware to prove it.
—Valentina Martinez, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Beyond aesthetics, the $11 formula fortifies your fingernails, no matter how damaged.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 5 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
Trying to stay ahead of the game, for Dick’s the acquisition of Foot Locker also fortifies relationships with Nike and Adidas, which still dominate global footwear sales, and gives Dick’s negotiating leverage.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The future Hall of Famer only fortifies the talented roster, and gives Houston an experienced star who has the championship hardware to prove it.
—Valentina Martinez, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortifies
Verb
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The South Carolina Department of Public Health (SCDPH) has confirmed a second death from last weekend's winter storm as the state braces for more extreme weather in the coming days.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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New Hampshire New Hampshire Public Radio has resources for finding shelters and staying safe as the state braces for extreme cold, including temperatures of -30 and wind gusts of up to 100 miles per hour.—
Anusha Mathur,
NPR,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Trust that tending to your foundations strengthens your public success.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
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If money, knowledge, or labor feel uneven, propose simple rules and choose transparency, because trust strengthens when everyone sees the same numbers.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The merger also comes as SpaceX — whose primary business of late has been launching Musk’s Starlink broadband satellites — readies for an initial public offering, possibly for this year.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
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Rich Stearns readies his boat every season, and Jerry Ring drives up from Chicago every winter to catch a ride.—
Noel Brennan,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fortifies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortifies. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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