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
In a modern twist on this concept, Volvo is now megacasting aluminum alloy buttress-like structures in the new EX60’s diecast rear floor. — Kristin Shaw, ArsTechnica, 20 May 2026 Researchers have been concerned that without their icy buttresses, these walls could collapse. — Megan I. Gannon, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
Verb
In the cases before the Supreme Court as well as the wage case before Hall, there is no suggestion that lawyers intentionally buttressed arguments with phony precedents in order to win an unfair advantage. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2026 Only the walls remain, buttressed with beams. — Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 20 June 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
  • Privacy seekers can cast their anchor further afield at Coral Caye, Turtle Inn’s private island that’s a 20-minute boat ride away, with wooden cottages and a brimming reef.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Creating space for contrary evidence before authority anchors the room can widen what the group considers.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of anchor
Noun
  • Yet, earlier this month, I, my fellow editors and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration personnel were informed that support for the Arctic Report Card — our flagship annual report since 2006 — is canceled.
    — Twila Moon, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Demographic experts are cautiously optimistic about the new scheme, which appears to offer more sustained and holistic support for families.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of support
Verb
  • For crews responsible for sustaining the Minuteman III fleet, that capability could prove valuable as the system’s service life continues.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The midfielder turned right-back sustained the damage during Sunday’s 4-3 defeat at Chelsea after he was struck in the face by the ball.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of sustain
Verb
  • Leeds, their defence reinforced by the arrival of Tarik Muharemovic, look like a tough nut to crack.
    — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Unlike ceramides, which reinforce the moisture barrier, or hyaluronic acid, which mainly hydrates at the surface, urea can moisturize and, at higher strengths, exfoliate dead skin cells.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of reinforce
Noun
  • Footwear is a key part of the strategy within several pillars outlined by Joseph Alkire, Kontoor’s president and chief financial officer.
    — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Sports remains the third pillar of the country strategy, according to Oishi, who cites Prime Video’s existing rights to MLB, NBA and live boxing coverage in Japan.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of pillar
Noun
  • The approach uses adversarial inverse reinforcement learning (AIRL) to learn walking strategies from stick insects.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Two police unions, the Sindicato Unificado de Policia and Confederacion Espanola de Policia, requested extensive reinforcements from the mainland.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of reinforcement
Verb
  • While some of the color contrasts do articulate planar shifts, such as the candy-stripe lips (red for upper, pink for lower), many of the touches are arbitrary splotches that neither bolster a shape nor set another off.
    — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Merida's experimental biologic drugs target autoimmune diseases such as Graves' disease and thyroid eye disease and should bolster Lilly's efforts in immunology.
    — Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of bolster
Noun
  • Ukraine repeatedly has targeted oil facilities that form the backbone of Russia’s economy, one of the world’s largest energy producers.
    — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Building the nuclear backbone One focus will be NANO Nuclear’s HALEU transportation systems.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 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 7 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on buttress

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about buttress

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