bolster

noun

bol·ster | \ ˈbōl-stər

Definition of bolster

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a long pillow or cushion

2 : a structural part designed to eliminate friction or provide support or bearing (see bearing sense 5)

bolster

verb

bolstered; bolstering\ ˈbōl-st(ə-)riŋ

Definition of bolster (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to support with or as if with a bolster : reinforce lay bolstered up in bed extra men will bolster already augmented dock details— Stanley Levey

2 : to give a boost to news that bolstered his spirits

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Examples of bolster in a Sentence

Verb

She came with me to bolster my confidence. a convincing argument that was bolstered by the speaker's reputation She is thinking of ways to bolster her career.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The simple sport seats with manual height adjustment cradle and support without extreme bolsters. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "2019 Boxster 718: preserving Porsche purity," 18 Aug. 2019 Everything that isn’t wrapped in leather is carbon fiber, aluminum or ballistic nylon on high-wear areas like seat bolsters. — Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, "Chevy breaks the mold with faster, more sophisticated 2020 Corvette Stingray," 18 July 2019 Each of them was keen to produce break-out moments—of the kind that might fly on social media, inspire cash contributions and bolster campaigns ahead of a months-long slog. — The Economist, "The Democrats hold their first presidential primary debate," 27 June 2019 Funds allocated in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 to help governments in the Northern Triangle bolster security and crack down on transnational gangs will continue. — Camilo Montoya-galvez, CBS News, "U.S. cuts millions in aid to Central America, fulfilling Trump's vow," 17 June 2019 The interior was striking, with black square-quilted seat inserts, contrast stitching and piping on the bolsters, plush door panels in brown, and wood on the dash and center stack. — Emma Jayne Williams, star-telegram, "Nissan Armada full-size SUV has plentyof room for the family, lots of technology," 17 June 2018 The black interior gets matching orange seat inserts, seat belts and knee bolsters. — Jeff Yip, Houston Chronicle, "Big boys’ toys: Camaro special edition pays tribute to iconic Hot Wheels," 9 June 2018 MGM Resorts International The $850 million acquisition of Empire City at Yonkers Raceway’s race track and casino bolsters MGM’s presence on the East Coast and, in particular, in the Northeast. — Kenneth R. Gosselin, courant.com, "MGM To Buy New York Casino But Remains Committed To Developing Bridgeport Venue," 29 May 2018 The seats have side bolsters, as any fast car should. — Russ Mitchell, latimes.com, "New wagons from Volvo and Jaguar offer agile alternatives to the lumbering SUV," 25 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Many House Democrats would rather impeach him than hand him legislative victories that could bolster his re-election chances. — Michael Crowley, New York Times, "Trump Heads Into 2020 With No Clear Policy Agenda. But It May Not Matter.," 4 Sep. 2019 For White, the top priority is expanding student section, a rowdy group that bolsters the Knights’ home-field advantage. — Matt Murschel, orlandosentinel.com, "As UCF football popularity surges, AD Danny White considers expanding stadium," 2 Sep. 2019 Brissett wound up starting 15 games for the Colts in fall of 2017, with Luck on the shelf, and that only bolstered Ballard’s initial evaluation. — Albert Breer, SI.com, "How the Colts Are Pushing Forward Without Andrew Luck," 26 Aug. 2019 More than 225 mayors have asked for McConnell to call the Senate back to vote on the laws that would bolster background checks. — USA TODAY, "OnPolitics: The week everyone was talking about guns," 9 Aug. 2019 Last year’s fundraising frenzy coincided with a flurry of 435 IPOs from companies based in China that bolstered war chests before the trade war began to take its toll. — Los Angeles Times, "Teachers, firefighters from California to New Jersey seek Chinese tech riches," 7 Aug. 2019 July 26 The death of a bill in Congress this week that would have bolstered election security systems puts more pressure on states to prevent cyberattacks from Russia that former special counsel Robert Mueller warned against this week. — Washington Post, "Congressional inaction on vote security puts onus on states," 28 July 2019 Last week, however, the church was re-opened with a grand celebration, thanks to a pioneering conservation project that bolstered the site’s resistance to seismic activity. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Pioneering Conservation Project Saves Earthquake-Damaged Peruvian Church," 28 June 2019 On Thursday, Congress sent President Trump a $4.6 billion package that bolsters care for the tens of thousands of arrivals taken into custody. — CBS News, "Acting DHS secretary expects border crossings to drop by 25% in June," 28 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bolster.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.