1
as in sustained
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 reinforced
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bolstered
In subsequent weeks, the movie, bolstered by positive word of mouth, has continued to perform well.
—
Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 14 June 2026
The buildings are bolstered with fire- and weather-proofing measures and are built to withstand year-round weather conditions, including heavy snow and extreme heat.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 14 June 2026
Ivory Coast was bolstered by the forward play of Yan Diomande.
—CBS News, 14 June 2026
That tie to Wexner, combined with Epstein’s regular attendance at fashion shows and practice of surrounding himself with young models, bolstered his appearance as an industry player.
—Curt Devine, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
Fans at Power & Light roared in celebration, throwing their drinks into the air, as the team quickly bolstered its lead before the end of the first half with two goals from attacker Folarin Balogun.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
Former Mayor Mike Walsh repeatedly emphasized that the loss of Stop & Shop and much of the surrounding retail base was triggered partly by declining buying power, and said those stores wouldn’t be coming back until the town bolstered its middle class.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2026
The Works in Progress screenings, meanwhile, have been expanded to showcase seven Romanian feature films in post-production, which will be bolstered by the launch this year of a €30,000 ($35,000) prize awarded by HBO.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 12 June 2026
Now, their argument is also bolstered by the fact that Lake Powell is emptying — whether Colorado River managers like it or not.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 14 June 2026
The buildings are bolstered with fire- and weather-proofing measures and are built to withstand year-round weather conditions, including heavy snow and extreme heat.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 14 June 2026
Ivory Coast was bolstered by the forward play of Yan Diomande.
—CBS News, 14 June 2026
That tie to Wexner, combined with Epstein’s regular attendance at fashion shows and practice of surrounding himself with young models, bolstered his appearance as an industry player.
—Curt Devine, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
Fans at Power & Light roared in celebration, throwing their drinks into the air, as the team quickly bolstered its lead before the end of the first half with two goals from attacker Folarin Balogun.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
Former Mayor Mike Walsh repeatedly emphasized that the loss of Stop & Shop and much of the surrounding retail base was triggered partly by declining buying power, and said those stores wouldn’t be coming back until the town bolstered its middle class.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2026
The Works in Progress screenings, meanwhile, have been expanded to showcase seven Romanian feature films in post-production, which will be bolstered by the launch this year of a €30,000 ($35,000) prize awarded by HBO.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 12 June 2026
Now, their argument is also bolstered by the fact that Lake Powell is emptying — whether Colorado River managers like it or not.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bolstered
Verb
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An 11-year-old girl in Bahrain sustained minor wounds in an Iranian attack on Thursday, officials said.—
Arpita Dasika,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
-
Police have not publicly identified any of the victims injured in the shooting, but said 12 people sustained gunshot wounds.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Concrete walls and floors are reinforced with metal rebar, which conducts electricity and should therefore also be avoided.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
12 June 2026
-
The handle is reinforced at the grip with G-10, a textured material designed for extreme weather conditions.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Iran's blockade of the strait, which carried about 20% of the world's oil supply before the war, has throttled traffic through the critical oil shipping channel, driving up fuel prices and threatening the global economy.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
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The show focuses on a person looking back at their life and what carried them through from a list of wonderful things, big and small, that make life worth living.—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Verb
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The effort, led by Mitchell, was also supported by a coalition of medical clinics, labor unions and physician groups.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
10 June 2026
-
These fire regimes supported the humans dependent on meat, the mammals dependent on early-successional browse and grass, and the plants dependent on fire and light.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
The penalty was upheld by the video assistant referee system, but the broadcast noted that Embelo might have been offside before fielding the cross.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
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In a terse decision, the state Court of Appeals upheld the law’s constitutionality.—
Robert Polner,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bolstered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bolstered. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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