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
That message has buttressed DeSantis’ advocacy for drastically slashing property taxes, a critical financial lifeline for Florida cities and counties. — Zoe Millán, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026 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 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
  • The debate was moderated by chief political anchor Dennis House and anchor Kathryn Hauser, while CCM’s executive director, Joe DeLong, also asked questions on the panel.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Leading global funds such as BlackRock, Capital Group and GIC participated in Jio's anchor book portion of the total fundraise, which is set aside for large institutional investors before the IPO opens for public bidding.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of anchor
Noun
  • Industry support When Corral’s exit from Movistar Plus was announced last year, there was an outpouring of anger, grief and concern from Spain’s creative community that is rarely afforded to a commissioning executive.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026
  • As the disease progresses, muscles deteriorate, limiting the ability to hold one’s head upright, sit without support, raise arms or even breathe.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of support
Verb
  • Jeff Stotts, an athletic trainer who runs a site that tracks sports injuries, wrote that since 2005, just one player had sustained a torn labrum like Wallace’s and returned later that season.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Faster reloading could help vessels sustain their combat readiness during extended operations.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of sustain
Verb
  • The event reinforces our commitment to building a strong, collaborative supply chain that delivers economic growth, innovation and long-term maritime capability in both nations.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese communist party’s central committee, reinforced the criticism through its online commentary platform Renmin Ruiping.
    — Matthew Tan, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of reinforce
Noun
  • Matsui, a pillar of the Democratic establishment, has touted her experience in the House and record of delivering federal funding to the region.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • For families There’s a comprehensive Ritz Kids program built around four pillars—nature, exploration, culture, and environment—with eco-workshops, nature walks, and babysitting available.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of pillar
Noun
  • On Wednesday, nearly a week after the Salvadoran reinforcement began arriving, Haiti’s government finally publicly addressed the deployment.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
  • After detecting the model’s attempt to access the internet, OpenAI paused frontier reinforcement learning while engineers strengthened the systems containing its agents.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of reinforcement
Verb
  • And some legal experts say rather than bolster the government’s argument in court, the comparatively small number of charges and arrests may weaken it.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The decision to launch the movie in moderate release — rather than limited in just a handful of venues or nationwide on more than 2,000 screens — proved wise because the studio was able to bolster awareness while cultivating a sense of scarcity.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of bolster
Noun
  • The language that’s known as the backbone of the internet is now subject to what experts describe as one of the most notable vulnerabilities in recent memory.
    — Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Stocchetto’s son Maurizio, the current owner, marked the 50th anniversary with a light refurbishment but one that kept the vintage backbone intact, from the brocades and mirrors to the marble floor and dark wood panels.
    — Jaclyn DeGiorgio, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 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 Nov. 2026.

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