bolster 1 of 2

Definition of bolsternext
1
as in to sustain
to hold up or serve as a foundation for used additional beams to bolster the ceiling

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to reinforce
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) a couple of tournament wins would bolster the extravagant claims that have been made on behalf of the young golfer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bolster

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bolster
Verb
My confidence was further bolstered when Zenker informed me about Beau Miles, an adventure filmmaker known for documenting his self-experiments, who, back in 2020, when an entirely different disaster descended upon us, ate only beans for 40 days (191 cans to be exact)—and lived to tell the tale. Ayana Underwood, Outside, 27 Mar. 2026 The report shed new light on Cherfilus-McCormick's efforts to bolster her congressional campaign after two unsuccessful bids in 2018 and 2020. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
Each end is equipped with a removable bolster pillow to create a cozy spot to undo your laces at the end of the day, while the interior cubby is spacious enough to hold anything from vibrant bedding to seasonal decor. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 8 Jan. 2026 The environment was soothing and cozy, with comfortable bolster pillows and sheep skin rugs to compliment the atmosphere created by the colorful bowls and calming and supportive sentiments of our guide, Rebecca. Claudia Fisher, Travel + Leisure, 13 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bolster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bolster
Verb
  • That’s how careers are built ‒ and sustained.
    Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The driver sustained only minor visible injuries, according to troopers.
    Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The nurses hope high-profile government campaigns like the measles effort will reinforce the importance of vaccines in the public mind.
    Katie Silver, NPR, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Its global reach, omnichannel capabilities, and secure end-to-end solutions create high switching costs for multinational clients, reinforcing its competitive moat.
    Justin Zacks, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb – the smallest of the seven and at the western end of the arch – are key to strait control, the two researchers wrote.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Jeep also reshaped the wheel arches for better clearance—a nice touch—with carbon flares.
    Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • By that, Lentsch means that the general public — the masses — overwhelmingly support public lands and have the potential to throw their support behind the cause.
    Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The school raised the majority of the funding for the forest from the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, which will also support an environmental science project on campus.
    Molly McCrea, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • When Texas was in its locker room after the Sweet 16 win and did what has become the tradition of placing its nameplate on the next line on an oversized bracket, the Longhorns put it on the line for the bracket winner that would indicate an advance to the Final Four.
    CBS News, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Morris entered the bracket as the 10th seed and lost his fourth match before running the table in the consolation bracket to earn third place.
    Barry Scanlon, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The men, ranging in age from twenty-nine to sixty-four, carried rucksacks containing the few items that they were allowed to bring.
    Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • For a Nets team that has watched too many games slip in the same way, the early minutes of the fourth carried a familiar warning.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Markets now price in a greater chance of rate hikes by year-end than cuts, according to CME’s FedWatch tool, removing what had been a key pillar of the bull case for growth stocks.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
  • The upside of being a pillar in more titles as the Falcons move to 5A is high.
    Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Trump is asking the justices to uphold his Day 1 executive order eliminating birthright citizenship under a novel interpretation of the 14th Amendment and requiring parents to prove their own legal status before citizenship is granted to their children.
    Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The case currently hinges on whether 1980s-era forensic evidence, such as hair matching, is enough to uphold a death sentence when modern DNA testing fails to provide a definitive answer.
    Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bolster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bolster. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

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