bolsters 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bolster
1
as in supports
to hold up or serve as a foundation for used additional beams to bolster the ceiling

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in reinforces
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

bolsters

2 of 2

noun

plural of bolster
as in brackets

Related Words

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 bolsters
Verb
Song landed a powerful right uppercut in the second round, securing a significant victory that bolsters his bantamweight title contention, despite a recent loss to Sean O'Malley. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Connors brothers anchor defense The return of brothers Rex and Porter Connors bolsters UCD’s defense. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Gabby Williams bolsters Golden State Like Bueckers, the Golden State Valkyries have only been around for two years in the WNBA. — Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 24 Aug. 2026 The move further bolsters BioMarin’s unit focused on rare skeletal conditions, a portfolio anchored by its drug Voxzogo. — Brad Quick,anna Rodin, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026 Senior forward Madelyn Gora, who scored 10 goals, leads an offense that returns nearly all of its production, and senior Sloane Zygmunt bolsters the defense. — Noah Poser, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 Marketing material for the serum asserts that mineral-rich comfrey bolsters bones, tendons and ligaments and noni stimulates circulation and supports detoxification. — Ben Davidson, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026 Now, their emergence in AEW bolsters the company’s tag team division. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026 The move bolsters a Rays rotation that entered the day ranked third in the American League in ERA and nets New York a trio of prospects in right-hander Gary Gill Hill, infielder Émilien Pitre and outfielder Aidan Smith. — Tim Britton, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bolsters
  1. supports
  2. reinforces
  3. brackets
  4. sustains
  5. arches
  6. carries
  7. pillars
  8. upholds
Verb
  • The commitment supports Nvidia's argument that customers are generating enough returns on its AI infrastructure to justify continued spending.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Why doctors say bidets may be healthier Converts often describe simply feeling cleaner, and some research supports the idea.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of supports
Verb
  • The data reinforces the stark need for action along these lines, as do the tragic stories of far too many first responders who have made significant sacrifices for their communities and are met with newfound dangers for their troubles.
    — Sen. Saud Anwar, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The material produced by the league so far, according to the filing, reinforces the necessity of complete transparency.
    — Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of reinforces
Noun
  • Loose hardware Give any bolts, brackets, and screws a quick once-over to make sure nothing has worked itself loose.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, housing is even more out of reach for those in lower-income brackets.
    — Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of brackets
Verb
  • All of the new rules pose a risk to the industry that sprang up in the wake of the 2019 law, which Sergi says generates over $5 billion in revenue, sustains nearly 49,000 jobs and contributes over $250 million in tax money.
    — Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Ford is among the few filmmakers who succeeds in filming a stage performance with visual attention (a combination of duration and framing) that sustains literary continuity yet never recedes to mere home-video-like recording.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of sustains
Noun
  • For decades, engineers in Japan, Croatia, and other major bridge-building countries studied concrete arches with spans approaching 600 meters.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Around this infrastructure, Pizzini and her team reconstructed the original Muppet Theatre, from the iconic arches to the filigree to the safety curtain with the door Kermit pops out of in the opening sequence.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of arches
Verb
  • Out back, a single monoshock is mounted to the massive single-sided swingarm that carries the solo rear wheel shod in a wiiiide 305/30R20 Kenda meat.
    — William Roberson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Brooks ran for 106 yards on 27 carries last season while contributing primarily on special teams.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of carries
Noun
  • Volkswagen’s prosperity was recently based on two pillars – huge profits earned in China, and the highly successful German base where its engineers led the world for decades in making and exporting advanced sedans and SUVs.
    — Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Narrower set of engines Next week's nonfarm payrolls report could also give some reassurance on how the economy is doing, which remains robust but with weakening pillars of support.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of pillars
Verb
  • The ruling Wednesday by a Cole County judge upholds a decision by Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who had blocked the amendment from the November ballot despite thousands of petition signatures for it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • If the District Court upholds the denial, your application is considered exhausted.
    — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 21 July 2026
Definition of upholds

Browse Nearby Words

bolstering
bolsters
bolt
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bolsters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bolsters. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All