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 grip: Pinch the blade between your thumb and forefinger just ahead of the bolster like a claw, curling the other three fingers around the handle. — Francine Maroukian, Popular Mechanics, "The Right Way to Use a Chef's Knife," 7 Nov. 2018 Seven & I Holdings credits hot dogs and pizza with helping bolster sales. — Rachel Abrams, The Seattle Times, "Tensions build between 7-Eleven and its store owners," 30 July 2018 They're bolstered, but not aggressively so, and there are buttons to widen or narrow the bolsters to your preference. — Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, "Small, nimble, quick, and loud: The BMW X2 reviewed," 23 May 2018 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

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

This rumor is bolstered by casting rumors that Cassie Lang, Scott’s daughter, is actually a teen in the movie. — Alex Abad-santos, Vox, "How the Avengers: Endgame trailer hints that Captain Marvel will save the day (and Iron Man)," 8 Dec. 2018 Amazon’s grocery delivery service, which launched under the Amazon Fresh brand to inconsistent success, is now bolstered by Whole Foods’ physical footprint around the country. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "Amazon and Walmart’s rivalry is reshaping how we’ll buy everything in the future," 3 Aug. 2018 Stoke may therefore be forced to look elsewhere in their efforts to bolster their striking ranks, with Gayle himself said to be happy to remain at St James’ Park next season. — SI.com, "Stoke City Plotting Double Swoop on Newcastle for Proven Promotion Winning Pair," 29 June 2018 The Washington Post’s reporting showed that, for years, Trump appeared to use the foundation – which was, by law, an independent entity – to make payments that bolstered his interests. — David A. Fahrenthold, The Seattle Times, "Trump to shut down charity after lawsuit said he used it for personal and political benefit," 18 Dec. 2018 This theory was bolstered by a pic from the season 2 set. — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, "Everything We Know About "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" Season 2," 6 Dec. 2018 The company just last month launched its game store that could bolster its revenue picture. — Theodore Schleifer, Recode, "Who could buy Discord? Acquirers have been giving the gaming startup a long look.," 21 Nov. 2018 The sales pitch is bolstered by the monitor's HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C functionality. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Dell's Enormous Curved Monitor Is Here to Bombard You With Screen," 15 Oct. 2018 Regardless of the cause, the support isn’t just verbal; it is bolstered by the exchange of wealth and arms. — Lincoln Anthony Blades, Teen Vogue, "How Policing in the U.S. and Security in Israel Are Connected," 16 July 2018

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.