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
  • The dreamy setting is an ideal spot to drop anchor for a relaxing swim, snorkel, and linger over a bottle of local wine under umbrella pine trees buzzing with cicadas.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Howard, a mother of five, called her son energetic and an anchor for his younger siblings.
    — Yona Gavino, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 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 over two decades, Blue Origin has been largely Bezos's personal space dream, sustained mainly by his private wealth.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The second driver was hospitalized with injuries sustained in the collision.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of sustain
Verb
  • The look also pulls from indie sleaze, which Trendalytics reports is up 80% in social buzz, reinforcing the messy, early-2000s finish that defines the trend.
    — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Both formulas pair moisture-drawing glycerin with pea peptide and a trio of ceramides to condition and reinforce dry, stressed hair.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of reinforce
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 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
  • And that refusal has given rise to suspicions that the network is part of a media campaign to bolster the Iranian government’s opposition.
    — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The gain was bolstered by a 45 percent increase in the company’s AI Cloud and Compute businesses.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of bolster
Noun
  • The tablet combines bictegravir, the backbone of Gilead’s blockbuster HIV pill Biktarvy, with lenacapavir, a first-in-class capsid inhibitor that has become a centerpiece of the company’s long-term strategy for HIV treatment and prevention.
    — Justina Lee, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Combine drought with fire and the backbone of the Everglades — its marshy peat soil — also becomes more vulnerable.
    — Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 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 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on buttress

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about buttress

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