reinforcement

noun re·in·force·ment \ ˌrē-ən-ˈfȯrs-mənt \

|Updated on: 13 Aug 2018

Examples: reinforcement in a Sentence

Definition of reinforcement

1 : the action of strengthening or encouraging something : the state of being reinforced

2 : something that strengthens or encourages something: such as

a : an addition of troops, supplies, etc., that augments the strength of an army or other military force —usually plural

About 8 a.m. Soviet tanks and armored personnel carriers containing reinforcements approached the gorge from the right flank.
—John Barron

b : something designed to provide additional strength (as in a weak area)

a bridge in need of steel reinforcements

c : a response to someone's behavior that is intended to make that person more likely to behave that way again

positive/negative reinforcement

3 psychology : the action of causing a subject to learn to give or to increase the frequency of a desired response that in classical conditioning involves the repeated presentation of an unconditioned stimulus (such as the sight of food) paired with a conditioned stimulus (such as the sound of a bell) and that in operant conditioning involves the use of a reward following a correct response or a punishment following an incorrect response; also : the reward, punishment, or unconditioned stimulus used in reinforcement

See reinforcement defined for English-language learners

See reinforcement defined for kids

Examples of reinforcement in a Sentence

“We're outnumbered! Call for reinforcements!”
We need to prevent enemy reinforcements from reaching the front line.
The bridge is in need of reinforcement.
You should encourage good behavior with positive reinforcement.

Recent Examples of reinforcement from the Web

Emergency crews from the nearby Bay Area have been called for reinforcements.

— thomas leavy, CBS News, "Officials report "zero containment" of 1,500-acre blaze Pawnee Fire in California," 24 June 2018
With the departure of club legend Andres Iniesta, there is now a considerable creative void gaping in the Catalan side’s engine room, which will surely be an area of priority for reinforcement ahead of next season.

— SI.com, "Luis Suarez Urges Barcelona to Sign Tottenham Maestro This Summer to Replace Club Icon," 22 June 2018
Another problem with reinforcement learning is that programs can get stuck trying the same successful strategy over and over, instead of risking something new.

— alison gopnik, WSJ, "Curiosity Is a New Power in Artificial Intelligence," 4 May 2018
The strategies often rely on reinforcement learning, a hands-off technique.

— joshua sokol, The Atlantic, "AI Keeps Mastering Games, But Can It Win in the Real World?," 27 Feb. 2018
As wildfires rage across California, beleaguered fire officials are calling for reinforcements.

— kellen browning, sacbee, "'Stretched to the limit' by fires, state allows aerial SuperTanker to re-join fight," 7 July 2018
Those disinclined to trust the media get reinforcement when highly influential politicians and partisan media figures elevate the critiques, sometimes making personal jabs at journalists’ motives and their character.

— eugene scott, Washington Post, "The Capital Gazette shooting and what’s wrong with the current public discourse about the media," 29 June 2018
With Felipe Gutierrez coming back and possible reinforcements coming during the summer transfer window, does SKC win any hardware again this season?If so, which ones?Peter Vermes is coming close to cementing a status few will attain.

— sam mellinger, kansascity, "Mellinger Minutes: No M.D. for Chiefs' LDT, finding Royals hope (and an All-Star)," 26 June 2018
Dunman served as a courier who rode from the Alamo through a line of enemy lancers to deliver the letter Colonel William B. Travis wrote asking for reinforcements.

— melanie feuk, Houston Chronicle, "Historical marker honors ‘true father of Humble’ Joseph Dunman," 2 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reinforcement.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of reinforcement

1602

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

reinforcement Synonyms

Synonyms

brace, buttress, mount, mounting, prop, shore, spur, stay, support, underpinning;

Related Words

shoring;

column, pedestal, pilaster, pillar;

arch, bolster, bracket, cantilever, girder;

bearing;

crutch, peg, post, stake, stanchion, stand, stilt, strut, truss;

base, foundation, frame;

REINFORCEMENT Defined for English Language Learners

reinforcement

noun

Definition of reinforcement for English Language Learners

reinforcements : people and supplies that are sent to help or support an army, military force, etc.
: the act of strengthening or encouraging something
: a thing that strengthens or encourages something

REINFORCEMENT Defined for Kids

reinforcement

noun re·in·force·ment \ ˌrē-ən-ˈfȯr-smənt \

Definition of reinforcement for Students

1 : people or things (as supplies) sent to help or support

2 : the act of making something stronger or able to last longer The bridge is in need of reinforcement.

Medical Dictionary

reinforcement

noun re·in·force·ment \ ˌrē-ən-ˈfōr-smənt, -ˈfȯr- \

medical Definition of reinforcement

: the action of causing a subject (as a student or an experimental animal) to learn to give or to increase the frequency of a desired response that in classical conditioning involves the repeated presentation of an unconditioned stimulus (as the sight of food) paired with a conditioned stimulus (as the sound of a bell) and that in operant conditioning involves the use of a reward following a correct response or a punishment following an incorrect response; also : the reward, punishment, or unconditioned stimulus used in reinforcement — compare recruitment 1