as in sturdy
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1
as in hardened
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 fortified
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 intensified
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 braced
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 strengthened
Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026
Arreola, who knew Jackson for more than 20 years, says his lasting legacy will live on in the young leaders shaped through Rainbow/PUSH and in the strengthened relationship between Latino and Black communities in Chicago.
—Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
CBS News, 14 June 2026
Recent policy developments have further strengthened California’s position in the emerging fusion sector.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026
As Kate continues her return to the spotlight, royal experts believe her influence within the monarchy has only strengthened in recent years.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
Even so, Illinois has stricter state laws regulating coal ash than Indiana — a 2019 state law increased transparency and strengthened cleanup rules.
—Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026
Once the brand foundation is strengthened, growth depends on consistently attracting new people into the business.
—Adam Stott, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Fillmore strengthened National Infrastructure, and authorized the famous Perry Expedition that opened Trade with Japan.
—New York Times, 11 June 2026
Braden says those conversations only strengthened his feelings.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
It is disciplined by accountability and strengthened by competition.
—Keith Krach, Fortune, 7 June 2026
Adjective
The foundations were welded and bolted to the strengthened deck, and the rotors themselves, fabricated with inner steel cores and composite shells, were then lifted by crane.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026
Arreola, who knew Jackson for more than 20 years, says his lasting legacy will live on in the young leaders shaped through Rainbow/PUSH and in the strengthened relationship between Latino and Black communities in Chicago.
—Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
Zelenskyy also informed Trump about how Ukraine's position along the eastern front line has improved and strengthened.
—CBS News, 14 June 2026
Recent policy developments have further strengthened California’s position in the emerging fusion sector.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026
As Kate continues her return to the spotlight, royal experts believe her influence within the monarchy has only strengthened in recent years.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
Even so, Illinois has stricter state laws regulating coal ash than Indiana — a 2019 state law increased transparency and strengthened cleanup rules.
—Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026
Once the brand foundation is strengthened, growth depends on consistently attracting new people into the business.
—Adam Stott, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Fillmore strengthened National Infrastructure, and authorized the famous Perry Expedition that opened Trade with Japan.
—New York Times, 11 June 2026
Braden says those conversations only strengthened his feelings.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
It is disciplined by accountability and strengthened by competition.
—Keith Krach, Fortune, 7 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strengthened
Adjective
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
-
Serving tray for entertaining $25 to $50 This straightforward serving tray is a reliable standard that’s sturdy and comes in seven colors.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Twelve years later, there’s more salt and pepper in Rogen’s beard and more vinegar in his demeanor; the let-it-all-hang-out comic boisterousness of his Judd Apatow days has hardened into a shell of middle-aged aggression.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
19 June 2026
-
The left’s internationalism—once the calling card of progress—has hardened into hostility to Israel, across academia, NGOs, mainstream-media outlets, and the United Nations.—
Adam Louis-Klein,
The Atlantic,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
The Russians have hastily re-fortified the city with new air defence towers, each with a mobile Pantsir anti-aircraft vehicle hoisted on to it.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
Catalyzed by the work of the Kansas City Sports Commission, fortified later by the arrival of the KC Current and, ultimately, the work of KC2026, the improbable came to pass.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
While trust in the program may be damaged due to the case against one of their colleagues, the staff in recent days has only intensified their presence in communities, Mavronis said.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
In a recent report BMI, a Fitch Solutions company, said pressure on BYD’s profit margins had intensified.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
West Ham are braced for offers for promising midfielder Kante.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
Russia has been using long-range missiles and drones to damage Ukraine's power grid and hammer cities, and Ukraine has braced for further heavy bombardments.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
Nicks on the edge or stiffened, curled rubber will leave streaks.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
-
The moose flinched and stiffened.—
Fred Bear,
Outdoor Life,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
But her thickened skin, along with her toughened reputation, felt supple now.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Trump announced a toughened stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine on Monday, setting a 50-day deadline for Moscow to reach a ceasefire or face sanctions.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
18 July 2025
Verb
-
That’s combined with the haul from the original 2004 film, which ended its run with $326 million, not adjusted for inflation.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
15 June 2026
-
In May, the Nasdaq adjusted its rules to allow for the faster inclusion of mega IPOs like SpaceX into the Nasdaq 100, shortening the window to 15 days from three months before eligibility for inclusion.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strengthened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strengthened. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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