buttress 1 of 2

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

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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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
As well as being a place of active worship, the cathedral is a wonder of Gothic architecture, complete with ornate stonework, graceful flying buttresses, and a breathtaking collection of medieval stained glass. Jessica MacDonald, Travel + Leisure, 20 Jan. 2025 The likes of that front-end logo, flying buttresses, and unique silhouette are all shared by both, and TWR upholds its longstanding association with the Jaguar brand by adhering to the design elements that set it apart. New Atlas, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
The influence of evangelical Christianity has likewise buttressed Republican support among Asian American voters; since 2000, some of the Asian Americans most likely to support Republican candidates identify as evangelical Christians. Jane Hong / Made By History, TIME, 24 Jan. 2025 Even after Trump lost in 2020, Antifa continued its growth, buttressing the Black Lives Matter movement and resorting to civil disobedience and property damage to protest law enforcement’s treatment of people of color. Will Carless, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for buttress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buttress
Noun
  • The pod will also tell the story of Edwards, who last year pled guilty to making indecent images of children having for decades been one of the BBC’s lead anchors.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2025
  • In an Oval Office sit-down with ABC News anchor and Senior National Correspondent Terry Moran, Trump highlighted his administration's immigration policies and sought to reassure anxious Americans on the economy.
    Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Their support means everything to me and reflects the strong foundation of my campaign.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Branscomb claimed his decision to appoint Michael Ruff as the party’s executive director caused both senators to threaten to withdraw support for the party.
    Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Enough jaw-dropping critical injuries are sustained by characters in The Raid to overcrowd the Pitt.
    Andy Crump, Time, 26 Apr. 2025
  • More flexible funding from donors is required to sustain this important work.
    Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Roll a 6-foot-long piece of hog wire or concrete reinforcing wire into a 2-foot-diameter tomato cage.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2025
  • It was reinforced in 2022 by the California Air Resources Board, and copied by 11 other states: New York, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware and Maryland.
    Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • Those pillars don’t change, but AI will influence how they are built.
    Hunter McMahon, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • As the Biden administration made student loan forgiveness a pillar of its Department of Education, nearly 4 million borrowers collectively saw at least $140 billion in student loan debt canceled in 2024, according to Experian.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Montana is one of 23 states, along with Puerto Rico, that are eligible for the NIH’s Institutional Development Award program, meant to bolster NIH funding in states that historically have received less investment.
    Rae Ellen Bichell and Rachana Pradhan, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2025
  • The only evidence against defendant [Weinstein] was the complainants' testimony, and the result of the court's rulings ... was to bolster their credibility and diminish defendant's character before the jury.
    Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, NPR, 20 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The multilateral framework painstakingly built since World War II—with the World Trade Organization as its backbone —is being systematically undermined.
    Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
  • These are the mission-critical applications and platforms that form the backbone of your operations.
    Tomás O’Leary, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Unlike traditional one-and-done training sessions, these tools provide continuous reinforcement through scalable, on-demand coaching.
    Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
  • But a receiving group that struggled with drops last season still needs reinforcements.
    Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Buttress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttress. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

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