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un·re·in·forced | \ ˌən-ˌrē-ən-ˈfȯrst 
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\Definition of unreinforced
: not reinforced unreinforced masonry unreinforced brick buildings
Examples of unreinforced in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web This obelisk, which marks the birthplace of Jefferson Davis, is the tallest unreinforced concrete structure in the world, and just 10 feet shorter than the Omni Louisville Hotel.
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Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, "351 feet worth of controversy: Confederate monument still stands in this Kentucky town," 17 June 2020 The council voted 4-0 to repeal the ordinance and to formally create an unreinforced masonry workgroup.
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oregonlive, "Portland ends requirement to publicly label buildings seismically unsafe," 23 Oct. 2019 Inmates have bored holes in the building’s unreinforced concrete large enough to hide contraband weapons, drugs and phones, corrections officials have acknowledged.
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Jerry Mitchell, ProPublica, "Lawmakers Refused to Increase an Infamous Prison’s Funding. Then, Chaos Erupted.," 12 Jan. 2020 The city policy was originally approved in October 2018 and also required building owners to notify prospective rental tenants if the structure was made of unreinforced masonry.
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oregonlive, "Portland agrees to pay $350,000 settlement linked to lawsuit over earthquake warning signs," 20 Nov. 2019 City records show Portland’s unreinforced masonry buildings on average are 90 years old.
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oregonlive, "Portland ends requirement to publicly label buildings seismically unsafe," 23 Oct. 2019 Basically there are four types of older buildings that are problematic:
Brick unreinforced masonry -- that's the worst, very dangerous.
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Braden Goyette, CNN, "She's been explaining earthquakes for decades. Here's where she says California is least prepared," 9 July 2019 Officials determined that the most vulnerable buildings are the older ones and those built from unreinforced masonry or under-reinforced concrete.
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USA TODAY, "Kacey Musgraves, sneaker flap, skiing in July: News from around our 50 states," 3 July 2019 Mobile homes likely sustain heavy damage, and unreinforced masonry walls can tumble.
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Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, "Hurricanes: How These Destructive Storms Form, and Why They Get So Strong," 26 June 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unreinforced.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Time Traveler for unreinforced
The first known use of unreinforced was in 1837
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