reinforce
verb
re·in·force
ˌrē-ən-ˈfȯrs 
variants
or less commonly reenforce
reinforced also reenforced; reinforcing also reenforcing; reinforces also reenforces
1
: to strengthen by additional assistance, material, or support : make stronger or more pronounced
reinforce levees
reinforce the elbows of a jacket
reinforce ideas
2
: to strengthen or increase by fresh additions
reinforce our troops
were reinforcing their pitching staff
3
: to stimulate (a subject, such as an experimental animal) by reinforcement (see reinforcement sense 3)
also
: to encourage (a response) by reinforcement
: to seek or get reinforcements
Synonyms
Examples of reinforce in a Sentence
The captain sent out another squad to reinforce the troops.
Our camp is reinforced with supplies flown in by helicopter.
The levees will need to be reinforced.
The bad weather forecast only reinforces our decision to leave early tomorrow.
Some critics say that the movie reinforces negative stereotypes about the military.
We do our best to reinforce good conduct in the classroom.
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Recent Examples on the Web
That assessment was further reinforced in the years since, including China wiping away many of the political and media freedoms in Hong Kong carried over from its handover by Britain in 1997.
—
Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2023
Faraway Downs reinforces the story as a melodrama, cutting the treacle with a welcome note of bitterness.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Nov. 2023
The adjustable shoulder straps are also padded for your carrying comfort, and the bottom and corner stitching is reinforced to prevent tearing (but don’t push it by overstuffing).
—Rena Behar, Travel + Leisure, 20 Nov. 2023
The hope is that all this will reinforce NATO admonitions to Russia to stop the aggression.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Nov. 2023
Instead, crews will reinforce 100 support columns that were damaged by the fire on Saturday morning, which burned in an area beneath the freeway where vehicles and wooden freight pallets were stored.
—Corina Knoll, New York Times, 14 Nov. 2023
First-time international enrollment was up 14%, another strong showing that reinforces the 80% increase that occurred in 2021-22, following the worst of the pandemic fall-out when 2020-21 saw a decrease of about 100,000 students.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
Chaplin presented as a small man, and the Tramp reads as small, an effect that Chaplin reinforced by casting much bigger actors as the heavies in his pictures.
—Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023
Non-ductile buildings have an inadequate configuration of steel reinforcing bars, which allows concrete to explode out of columns when shaken in an earthquake, a prelude to a catastrophic collapse.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2023
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Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2023
Faraway Downs reinforces the story as a melodrama, cutting the treacle with a welcome note of bitterness.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Nov. 2023
The adjustable shoulder straps are also padded for your carrying comfort, and the bottom and corner stitching is reinforced to prevent tearing (but don’t push it by overstuffing).
—Rena Behar, Travel + Leisure, 20 Nov. 2023
The hope is that all this will reinforce NATO admonitions to Russia to stop the aggression.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Nov. 2023
Instead, crews will reinforce 100 support columns that were damaged by the fire on Saturday morning, which burned in an area beneath the freeway where vehicles and wooden freight pallets were stored.
—Corina Knoll, New York Times, 14 Nov. 2023
First-time international enrollment was up 14%, another strong showing that reinforces the 80% increase that occurred in 2021-22, following the worst of the pandemic fall-out when 2020-21 saw a decrease of about 100,000 students.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
Chaplin presented as a small man, and the Tramp reads as small, an effect that Chaplin reinforced by casting much bigger actors as the heavies in his pictures.
—Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023
Non-ductile buildings have an inadequate configuration of steel reinforcing bars, which allows concrete to explode out of columns when shaken in an earthquake, a prelude to a catastrophic collapse.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reinforce.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
re- + inforce, alteration of enforce
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of reinforce was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near reinforce
Cite this Entry
“Reinforce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reinforce. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
reinforce
verb
re·in·force
ˌrē-ən-ˈfō(ə)rs
-ˈfȯ(ə)rs
1
: to strengthen by additional assistance, material, or support
reinforce the elbows of a jacket
reinforce the argument with facts
2
: to strengthen or increase by fresh additions
were reinforcing their pitching staff
reinforce our troops
3
: to stimulate (a person or animal) with a reinforcer
also
: to increase the frequency of (a response) with a reinforcer
Medical Definition
reinforce
transitive verb
re·in·force
ˌrē-ən-ˈfō(ə)rs, -ˈfȯ(ə)rs
reinforced; reinforcing
1
: to strengthen by additional material or support : make stronger
reinforced with vitamins
2
: to stimulate (as an experimental animal or a student) by reinforcement
also
: to encourage (a response) by reinforcement
More from Merriam-Webster on reinforce
Nglish: Translation of reinforce for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of reinforce for Arabic Speakers
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