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
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.
—
Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 19 Apr. 2025
That includes carving out meeting-free hours, encouraging asynchronous communication when possible, and reinforcing that deep work matters.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
And the obsequious fealty shown to him by the Republican Party reinforces why a president running amok should never have this much power again.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2025
The results reinforce the idea that regeneration of major body parts requires the re-establishment of the signals that lay out organization of the embryo in development—something that gets complicated if those signals are currently acting to organize the embryo.
—John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reinforce
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Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 19 Apr. 2025
That includes carving out meeting-free hours, encouraging asynchronous communication when possible, and reinforcing that deep work matters.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
And the obsequious fealty shown to him by the Republican Party reinforces why a president running amok should never have this much power again.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2025
The results reinforce the idea that regeneration of major body parts requires the re-establishment of the signals that lay out organization of the embryo in development—something that gets complicated if those signals are currently acting to organize the embryo.
—John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reinforce
Cite this Entry
“Reinforce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reinforce. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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