bolster
noun
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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
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Definition of bolster (Entry 2 of 2)
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Other Words from bolster
Verb
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noun
Synonyms for bolster
Synonyms: Verb
back, buttress, corroborate, reinforce (also reenforce), shore (up), substantiate, support
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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 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 flatter, rectangular bolsters are more comfortable to lie on for restorative poses. — Julie Brown, Outside Online, "The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Yoga Kit," 6 June 2018 Cloth seats are available in ash (mine, black bolsters with ash contrast stitching) or black. — Emma Jayne Williams, star-telegram, "Toyota introduces new Adventure modelto the lineup of its 2018 RAV4 crossover," 23 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 Meanwhile, Myers billed himself as a leader who would bring much needed transparency to the department as well as bolster relationships between deputies and community members. — Lyndsay Winkley, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Gore leading sheriff's race in early returns," 5 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 Air-cell bladders in the seatback and width-adjusting bolsters offered optimal support and comfort. — Emma Jayne Williams, star-telegram, "Kia’s all-new 2018 Stinger sport sedan offers premium features, performance | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 12 May 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Cranley, in his city budget, suggested bolstering that amount. — Sharon Coolidge, Cincinnati.com, "Stinky Cincinnati summer ahead? The city might not pick up your trash on time," 19 June 2018 Intuit’s goal is to use AI and machine learning to tailor its financial planning and management services to the individual and bolster customer engagement. — Melissa Riofrio, PCWorld, "What this puppy chatbot says about the friendly future of fintech for consumers," 14 June 2018 Tuesday’s agreement could bolster Nokia’s position in China as the country prepares to ramp up spending on the next generation of faster networks. — Fortune, "Nokia Signs $1.2 Billion Deal With China Mobile," 11 July 2018 The 22-year-old is reportedly wanted by David Wagner in an effort to bolster his attacking options ahead of the 2018/19 Premier League campaign, as reported by RMS Sport (via the Huddersfield Daily Examiner). — SI.com, "Huddersfield Targeting Move for Algerian Ligue 1 Star as David Wagner Looks to Strengthen Attack," 28 June 2018 The Academy made an effort to bolster its diversity efforts with its latest additions. — Ale Russian, PEOPLE.com, "The Academy Invites Amy Schumer, Tiffany Haddish, Kumail Nanjiani, Jada Pinkett Smith as Members," 25 June 2018 The letter viewed as an effort to bolster ongoing negotiations and ease tensions after Trump abruptly canceled the summit last week amid escalating threats from Pyongyang. — David Nakamura, Anchorage Daily News, "Trump says summit with North Korean leader is back on for June 12," 1 June 2018 In an effort to bolster the relief corps, Milwaukee made two intriguing moves for relievers in May. The club signed Julian Tavarez on May 26. — Jr Radcliffe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Rewind to May of 2008 on the 10th anniversary of the Milwaukee Brewers’ memorable run to the playoffs.," 31 May 2018 But the efforts to bolster the run game didn’t end there. — Orion Sang, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Lions hoping LeGarrette Blount becomes short yardage go-to guy," 29 May 2018These 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.
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More Definitions for bolster
bolster
noun
English Language Learners Definition of bolster
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a long bag of cloth completely filled with soft material : a long pillow or cushion
bolster
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of bolster (Entry 2 of 2)
: to make (something) stronger or better : to give support to (something)
See the full definition for bolster in the English Language Learners Dictionary
bolster
noun
\
Kids Definition of bolster
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a long pillow or cushion sometimes used to support bed pillows
bolster
verbKids Definition of bolster (Entry 2 of 2)
: to support with or as if with a bolster We tried to bolster their courage.
bolster
transitive verbLegal Definition of bolster
: to use evidence usually improperly to give weight to (evidence already introduced)
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