bolster

noun

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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 space between the bottom of the bolster and the bottom heel of the blade should allow enough room for your knuckles. — Marni Jameson, orlandosentinel.com, "The cutting edge ― Part 2: What’s the best kitchen knife?," 18 Dec. 2020 Place a bolster or pillows underneath your knees, and a pillow underneath your head. — Stephanie Mansour, CNN, "Should you skip or keep your workout if you're sick? Here's how to tell," 25 Dec. 2020 The space between the bottom of the bolster and the bottom heel of the blade should allow enough room for your knuckles. — Marni Jameson, orlandosentinel.com, "The cutting edge ― Part 2: What’s the best kitchen knife?," 18 Dec. 2020 The space between the bottom of the bolster and the bottom heel of the blade should allow enough room for your knuckles. — Marni Jameson, orlandosentinel.com, "The cutting edge ― Part 2: What’s the best kitchen knife?," 18 Dec. 2020 The space between the bottom of the bolster and the bottom heel of the blade should allow enough room for your knuckles. — Marni Jameson | Contributing Writer, NOLA.com, "Bevel, tang and more: Some terms you should know before choosing the best knives for your kitchen," 15 Dec. 2020 Nice and sharp out of the box, they’re made using high-carbon German steel, a bolster for support and santoprene handles with full tang, offering fairly even weight distribution. — Lesley Kennedy, CNN Underscored, "The best kitchen knife sets of 2020," 17 Sep. 2020 Among the provisions in the bill: A $300 bolster to weekly unemployment benefits – reduced from a $600 boost that expired in July – that will run through Dec. 27. — Christal Hayes, USA TODAY, "Senate set to vote on scaled-down coronavirus relief package even as fate of bill appears bleak," 11 Sep. 2020 The kit includes premium over-ear headphones that connect directly to the revolutionary bolster. — Popular Science, "This kit delivers an immersive experience for meditating at home," 10 Sep. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Though the language might be dramatic, the group wasn’t wrong about the uptick in activity: On YouTube, marketing coaches with substantial followings had started encouraging MLM salespeople to use TikTok to bolster their personal brands. — Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, "The First Major Anti-MLM Platform," 17 Dec. 2020 Pushing for a stiffer punishment for Placzek builds on months of council work to bolster accountability for the police department in response to public pressure for reform and defunding law enforcement. — Nicholas Rondinone, courant.com, "Hartford city council backs resolution calling on termination of city detective at the center of ‘dead pool’ wager," 14 Dec. 2020 With final investment decisions on field development and pipeline projects led by Total SA seen by year-end, Museveni aims to use oil revenue to bolster economic growth, improve living standards and create jobs. — Fred Ojambo, Bloomberg.com, "Ugandan Pop Star Kicks Off Bid to Unseat Veteran President," 3 Nov. 2020 The state plans to use at least $10 million in federal coronavirus recovery funds to bolster jobs beyond Hawaii’s vital tourism industry in sectors including agriculture, health care and technology. — From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, "Party crackdowns, desk shields, broken glass: News from around our 50 states," 25 Aug. 2020 Be available to answer any questions and use real data to bolster your points. — Tarot Astrologers, chicagotribune.com, "Daily horoscope for August 22, 2020," 22 Aug. 2020 But what is clear is that López Obrador plans to use the allegations to bolster his own political position, attempting to weaken his already anemic opposition. — Kevin Sieff, Washington Post, "A week of corruption allegations in Mexico leaves political elite pointing fingers at one another," 21 Aug. 2020 The biotech company will use the money to bolster its work on gene therapies for rare diseases affecting the central nervous system in partnership with UT Southwestern’s Gene Therapy Program. — Dallas News, "This North Texas biotech startup just raised a whopping $95 million amid the pandemic," 5 Aug. 2020 Indonesian President Joko Widodo replaced the country’s health chief as part of a cabinet revamp to bolster government efforts against Southeast Asia’s worst coronavirus outbreak. — Arys Aditya, Bloomberg.com, "Jokowi Replaces Indonesia Health Minister as Covid Deaths Spike," 22 Dec. 2020

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.