Definition of fortify
fortified
;fortifying
transitive verb
: to make strong: such asa : to strengthen and secure (a place, such as a town) by forts or batteries a city fortified by high wallsb : to give physical strength, courage, or endurance to fortified by a hearty mealc : to add mental or moral strength to : encourage fortified by prayer fortified by early successesd : to add material to for strengthening or enriching fortified milk
intransitive verb
: to erect fortifications
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Examples of fortify in a Sentence
fortify a city against attack
a city fortified by high walls
Support for his theories has been fortified by the results of these experiments.
He took a deep breath to fortify himself before stepping onto the stage.
milk fortified with vitamin D
Recent Examples of fortify from the Web
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With Walker appearing set for Manchester City, Pep Guardiola could fortify the other side of his back line soon in the form of Benjamin Mendy.
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Still, whatever Sasse’s motivation, a modest bill fortifying the private market is the only thing that could get eight Democratic votes.
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The Islamic State militants fortified their positions, booby-trapping the 2,500 meters (yards) long Old City wall — or the Rafiqah Wall — to protect their de facto capital.
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This laid the foundation for today's inequitable power structure that's been fortified over hundreds of years, through nuanced laws that criminalize black people at a higher rate than any other demographic in America.
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There, the regulators determined that the 34 big banks are adequately fortified with capital buffers to withstand a severe U.S. and global recession and continue lending.
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After the grapes complete fermentation, the wine is fortified with distilled grape spirits, and organic cocoa nibs are steeped in it to give a hint of natural chocolate flavor.
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The NBA East, lately terrible, just saw two of its members fortify themselves.
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The proposal would also raise the markup for wholesale sales on liquor and fortified wine from 30 percent to 35 percent.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fortify.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Medieval cities were fortified against attack by high walls, and volunteers may fortify a levee against an overflowing river by means of sandbags. Foods can be fortified by adding vitamins, but "fortified wines", such as sherry and port, have brandy (a "stronger" drink) rather than vitamins added to them. By adopting good exercise habits, you can fortify your body against illness. And fortifying needn't always be physical. An author's reputation may be fortified by the success of his new book, or a prosecutor can fortify a case against a suspect by finding more evidence.
Origin and Etymology of fortify
Middle English fortifien, from Anglo-French fortifier, from Late Latin fortificare, from Latin fortis strong
FORTIFY Defined for English Language Learners
fortify
playDefinition of fortify for English Language Learners
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: to strengthen (a place) by building military defenses (such as walls, trenches, etc.)
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: to make (someone or something) stronger
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: to make (yourself) feel stronger or less fearful
FORTIFY Defined for Kids
fortify
playDefinition of fortify for Students
fortified
;fortifying
1 : to make strong Walls fortified the city against attack. Calcium fortifies bones.
2 : to add material to (something) to strengthen or improve it The cereal was fortified with vitamins.
Learn More about fortify
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See words that rhyme with fortify Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fortify Spanish Central: Translation of fortify Nglish: Translation of fortify for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of fortify for Arabic speakers
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