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
  • Back in 1892, French artist Paul Signac dropped anchor here, encouraging friends such as Henri Matisse and André Derain to follow.
    — Lanie Goodman, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
  • While the guests enjoy their shrimp, the wind picks up significantly and starts to drag the anchor.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of anchor
Noun
  • Wesseh said Liberia’s development needs may have influenced the government’s decision, with officials hoping the agreement would bring support from Washington.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Next, workers will install new cables, bolted into the five main branches, to stabilize the tree before removing the old supports.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of support
Verb
  • North Korea’s willingness to sustain such losses reflects the reach of Russia’s global alliances and Moscow’s need for extra manpower.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The family’s attendance streak will become harder to sustain.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of sustain
Verb
  • To reinforce its point, the North followed up Thursday with a barrage of about a dozen short-range ballistic missiles launched from around the capital, Pyongyang, eastward toward the sea, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
    — Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Stick Velcro dots to the underside of the felt at the top and bottom, reinforcing the adhesive under the Velcro dots with a little bit of hot glue.
    — Jodi Levine, Parents, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of reinforce
Noun
  • Game publishing is the other new pillar, and Yang is careful not to overstate DRX’s edge there this early.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The pins printed down to the smallest pillar, appearing like tiny hairs, which required a magnifying glass to verify.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of pillar
Noun
  • Police reinforcements were called late Saturday to the temporary accommodation center for asylum seekers in Sintiki, a few kilometers (miles) from the Bulgarian border, after migrants threw rocks at guards, according to police.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The past two preseason games should prove that this Dolphins team needs reinforcements.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 22 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
  • Michele Goodwin was once part of the American backbone of the $43 billion global industry.
    — CNN Staff, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Historically a safe haven, the Vineyard is now seen as the epicenter for changing the narrative on diversity, showcasing Black and Brown Americans as the backbone of the nation's economy and future.
    — Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 21 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 26 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on buttress

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about buttress

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