fortify

verb

for·​ti·​fy ˈfȯr-tə-ˌfī 

fortified; fortifying

transitive verb

: to make strong: such as

a

: to strengthen and secure (a place, such as a town) by forts or batteries

a city fortified by high walls

b

: to give physical strength, courage, or endurance to

fortified by a hearty meal

c

: to add mental or moral strength to : encourage

fortified by prayer

fortified by early successes

d

: to strengthen or enhance by the addition of some substance or ingredient: such as

(1)

: to add distilled grape spirits to (wine) during fermentation to increase the alcohol content

… both the red and white versions we get in this country have been American-made-from California wine fortified with a touch of brandy.

—Jim Nelson

(2)

: to enrich (food) by adding ingredients (such as vitamins or minerals) to improve the nutritional value

… make sure any soy milk you buy is fortified with vitamin D, an essential nutrient for bone health.

—Selene Yeager

intransitive verb

: to erect fortifications

fortifier

ˈfȯr-tə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

noun

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.

Synonyms of fortify

• brace
• strengthen
• ready

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 on the Web

Since the scalp’s natural oils have a harder time traveling down the strands to fortify them, curly and coily hair types are more fragile and prone to damage. — Eden Stuart, Allure, 26 Oct. 2026

With the supply chain, Veja has fortified its relationships with suppliers and vendors. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026

The dispute unfolds as North Korea fortifies the already heavily armed frontier and both sides trade accusations, with diplomacy stalled and Seoul’s military vowing a firm response. — Kim Tong-Hyung, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026

The shampoo nourishes the scalp with panthenol and niacinamide, while the conditioner fortifies strands with lipids for thicker-looking hair that resists breakage. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fortifien, from Anglo-French fortifier, from Late Latin fortificare, from Latin fortis strong

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for fortify

• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi

Kids Definition

fortify

verb

for·​ti·​fy ˈfȯrt-ə-ˌfī 

fortified; fortifying

: to make strong: as

a

: to strengthen by military defenses

fortify a town

b

: to give strength or endurance to

fortify the body against illness

a team fortified by the cheering crowd

c

: to add material to for strengthening or improving : enrich

fortify a soil with fertilizer

milk fortified with vitamin D

fortifier

-ˌfī(-ə)r 

noun