bolstered

past tense of bolster
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 bolstered The last act before festival founder Olivia Rodrigo, Roan turned it out with all of her powers—bolstered by a bold and bitchy, razor-sharp bob. Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 30 Aug. 2026 To do that, construction crews bolstered the temple’s thick granite walls with vertical cables running from the towers to its base. Brandon Griggs, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 Analysts have said the study’s outcome bolstered the case that stabilizers, which are oral drugs, were perhaps superior to injectable silencers. Andrew Joseph, STAT, 28 Aug. 2026 The gain was bolstered by a 45 percent increase in the company’s AI Cloud and Compute businesses. Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026 From 1970 to 1980, its membership increased eightfold, to more than 700,000—bolstered by a push to include low-level sales associates in its membership and a rush of women joining. Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026 But that process would take years, and during the musicians’ time in the Soviet Union in 1985, Goldberg says they were bolstered by the refuseniks and their resistance against the regime. Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026 Michigan State bolstered its athletic department with a $401 million contribution that included an investment in its own Spartan Ventures. James Pollard, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026 Chaminade-Madonna bolstered its backfield by adding senior running back and Purdue commit Amos Bradford from West Broward and junior quarterback Brady Quinn from Naples Lely. Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bolstered
Verb
  • The woman was able to leave the residence before officers arrived and was later taken to Aurora Medical Center in Burlington for injuries sustained in the assault.
    Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Absent new domestic discoveries of the scale and accessibility needed to replace them, overall production could not be sustained.
    David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The results reinforced confidence in AI demand, lifting the broader trade Thursday.
    Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • It was reinforced by Washington’s alliance with Pakistan and its engagement with China during the Cold War, India’s socialist leanings in the decades after its independence, in 1947, and New Delhi’s close relationship with the Soviet Union.
    C. Raja Mohan, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Several heavy explosions shook Kuhestak, with fireballs that lighted up the night sky, according to security camera recordings carried by the semiofficial news agency Fars.
    David Rising, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The ideas that traveled furthest were carried by story rather than analysis.
    Bryan Adams, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Beyond the playa, the team has helped with disaster relief through the Grassroots Aid Partnership, including work after Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, and has supported the Moonlight Orphanage in Uganda.
    Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Some flagship smartphones from a few years ago have supported reverse wireless charging.
    Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • An appeals court upheld that ruling, and in early 2026 the state declined to appeal to the Supreme Court.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Several political parties sought a review of the first-round vote, but the results were upheld.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bolstered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bolstered. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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