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buttress 1 of 2

noun

ˈbə-trəs How to pronounce buttress (audio)
Definition of buttressnext
1
as in anchor
something or someone to which one looks for support the mother had always been the buttress of our family in trying times

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2
as in support
a structure that holds up or serves as a foundation for something else after the wall collapsed, the construction company agreed to rebuild it with a buttress

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buttress

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to sustain
to hold up or serve as a foundation for a brace buttressed the wall

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2
as in to reinforce
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) a mass of circumstantial evidence buttresses the prosecutor's case

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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 buttress
Noun
Researchers have been concerned that without their icy buttresses, these walls could collapse. — Megan I. Gannon, Scientific American, 6 May 2026 Three setbacks provide space for landscaped terraces, and at these floors, the structural columns slope inward, becoming tall buttresses that reintegrate into the latticework. — Adam Williams april 21, New Atlas, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
Kansas City is buttressed by the 6th Congressional District to the north and the 4th Congressional District to the south. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2026 Ballard is entering his 10th season at the helm of the Colts, but his job security isn’t buttressed by his resume. — James Boyd, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for buttress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buttress
  1. anchor
  2. support
  3. sustain
  4. reinforce
  5. pillar
  6. reinforcement
  7. bolster
  8. backbone
Noun
  • Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski, CBS news anchor Gayle King, East of Eden director Garth Davis as well as musician and Club Kid actor Jonah Almost were on site to toast Pugh and her crew.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The island also houses over 200 blue holes (the highest concentration of sinkholes and cave systems in the world) that demand exploration, both in its forests and offshore anchor points.
    — Joey Skladany, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of anchor
Noun
  • On a longer flight, having some additional neck support can make a significant difference.
    — Julie Rousseau, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Days passed without the administration providing Impacted Party 1 any traditional support services, that would have included time off.
    — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of support
Verb
  • The firm projects global protein demand will increase 11% from 2024 to 2029, with GLP-1 users, older adults, and people engaged in resistance training being expected to sustain the demand.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • After recovering from physical injuries sustained in the TikTok Live, Hilton was transferred to an inpatient psychiatric facility, his brother-in-law reported on Hilton’s podcast in late August.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of sustain
Verb
  • While such gifts can help to reinforce certain values, Pennington says that is not the only reason more people are choosing not to wait until after they’re gone to give away money.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Anton’s investment in The Creatives reinforces the financial strength of the group and provides additional access to equity financing.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of reinforce
Noun
  • Target, which is starting to get some traction in its turnaround, but is still lagging Walmart, is making style a pillar of its new approach.
    — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Kicillof and others have seized on widespread economic hardship under Milei to rekindle support for the movement's traditional pillars — free education, public health care and workers’ rights.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of pillar
Noun
  • Leather maintains more traditional materials for the midle two stripes and tongue, but further reinforcements come via ribbed laces that should provide greater lockdown.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • As Atari wrapped up his tour, the day’s heat was chasing the Ostrich Army out of their beds to go and greet the reinforcements who were trickling in.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of reinforcement
Verb
  • The set’s first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across 16 vinyl variants (one with a bonus track), nine CD variants (one with a bonus track), six download variants (most with bonus tracks) and a cassette.
    — Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 28 Sep. 2026
  • While bolstering CPUs, AMD also carved out a foothold in the graphics processors used for AI workloads, taking on Nvidia in a market that Cramer said is large enough to support multiple winners.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of bolster
Noun
  • Merchants can’t wait for that backbone to modernize, so the real question is how much a provider actually does with the data those old systems already produce.
    — Wayne Hamilton, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The Sparks also desperately needed Brink to become the defensive backbone of the team.
    — Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of backbone

Browse Nearby Words

button (up)
buttress
buttressed
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Cite this Entry

“Buttress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttress. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on buttress

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about buttress

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