1
as in to harden
to increase the ability of (as a muscle) to exert physical force
lifting weights every day will eventually strengthen your muscles the army makes new recruits run for miles in order to strengthen them
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to fortify
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
required weeks of physical therapy to strengthen his arm enough to pitch for the team again
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3
as in to enhance
to make markedly greater in measure or degree
encouraged the boarding school students to strengthen their ties with the community by doing public service
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4
as in to brace
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
strengthened herself for the moment she'd have to tell her friend that she had lost the borrowed necklace
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of strengthen
Earlier this week, Columbus strengthened their attack with an inter-league trade to acquire Dániel Gazdag from the Philadelphia Union for $4 million.
—
Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Club members work all year to grow plants and prepare for the sale, and to strengthen their green thumbs.
—Lisa Thorn, Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2025
To strengthen cultural ties between France and the U.S. by promoting the work of a young contemporary composer, Pisar initiated the Pisar Prize, a collaboration between Juilliard and Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
With over 200 articles about everyday life in America, his goal is to bring the American experience closer to Vietnamese readers and contribute to strengthening ties between the two countries, especially as the world marks 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War.
—Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strengthen
Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Club members work all year to grow plants and prepare for the sale, and to strengthen their green thumbs.
—Lisa Thorn, Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2025
To strengthen cultural ties between France and the U.S. by promoting the work of a young contemporary composer, Pisar initiated the Pisar Prize, a collaboration between Juilliard and Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
With over 200 articles about everyday life in America, his goal is to bring the American experience closer to Vietnamese readers and contribute to strengthening ties between the two countries, especially as the world marks 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War.
—Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strengthen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strengthen
Verb
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And then, as if he’s already relived the moment in question and arrived at the same, grim decision, Joel’s expression hardens.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Apr. 2025
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Farmers say their forebears initially enjoyed super yields, but the soil has hardened over time, and yields have plummeted, leading to more chemical use.—
Brooke Roberts-Islam,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Because the people in charge didn’t pick the right players, and didn’t draft well enough with the leftover picks to fortify the roster.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2025
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But all that has only fortified a character who went from hapless brother-in-law to inarguably the most evolved one of the bunch.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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His mission is to democratize AI, ensuring that businesses of all sizes can leverage automation to enhance productivity and efficiency.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
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This approach enables companies to tailor marketing strategies and personalize offerings, thereby enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Chipotle, like other restaurants and fast-food chains that rely on supplies from Mexico, also forecast tepid annual comparable sales growth, bracing for a hit from inflation.—
Ananya Mariam Rajesh,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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Now city leaders are bracing for a nearly $1-billion budget deficit.—
Ryan Fonseca,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Pindar said the fascia can stiffen under stress or illness, reducing circulation and making waste removal more difficult.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Apr. 2025
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The Energy Department typically stiffens a requirement only after years of study, comment, negotiation and testing (and sometimes litigation) among industry, consumer and environmental groups.—
Peter Elkind,
ProPublica,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
27 Apr. 2025
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Why Milwaukee could win: Friday night, the Bucks adjusted.—
Hannah Vanbiber,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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President Trump’s recent ultimatum proposing U.S. recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea has intensified the diplomatic divide within Europe, forcing European capitals to choose between Kyiv or Washington.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
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As the pope’s funeral approached, security around the Vatican intensified.—
Alan Yuhas,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The only evidence against defendant [Weinstein] was the complainants' testimony, and the result of the court's rulings ... was to bolster their credibility and diminish defendant's character before the jury.—
Isabella Gomez Sarmiento,
NPR,
20 Apr. 2025
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Montana is one of 23 states, along with Puerto Rico, that are eligible for the NIH’s Institutional Development Award program, meant to bolster NIH funding in states that historically have received less investment.—
Rae Ellen Bichell and Rachana Pradhan,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strengthen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strengthen. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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