1
as in anchors
something or someone to which one looks for support
the mother had always been the buttress of our family in trying times
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in pillars
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in supports
to hold up or serve as a foundation for
a brace buttressed the wall
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in reinforces
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea)
a mass of circumstantial evidence buttresses the prosecutor's case
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of buttresses
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
Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
That very insight further buttresses the need for a grand strategy.
—James B. Steinberg, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2020
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
Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
The document filed by the Justice Department in the Los Angeles Superior Court case led by plaintiffs Todd and Kimberley Ferrier — whose Pacific Palisades home burned down — buttresses arguments made by the victims’ attorneys.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
That very insight further buttresses the need for a grand strategy.
—James B. Steinberg, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buttresses
Noun
-
The historic resort town of Zakopane anchors the Polish side, while Slovakia’s High Tatras deliver mountain lakes, waterfalls and flocks of sheep among rocky crests.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
-
Michael Kosta hosts tonight, and the other anchors include Jon Stewart, Desi Lydic, Ronny Chieng and Josh Johnson.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Elsewhere, three pillars of the theatre community — André Bishop, Jules Fisher, and James Lapine — each received the 2026 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
-
Lectra’s solutions support each of these pillars individually while connecting all stages of the garment lifecycle through centralized data and integrated workflows.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Paige Sterling, a spokesperson for Mayor Karen Bass, said the mayor has worked hard to build affordable housing in the city and supports the construction of more, including in Venice.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
-
With the We’Raw technology, Isko provides a product that preserves the authentic raw aspects of denim—including color and shrinkage—and supports brands’ cut-and-sew approach.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
From your perspective, what distinguishes the kind of conflict that deepens a story from one that just reinforces division?—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
The Living Room bar has an undeniable energy and reinforces the hotel’s identity as a lifestyle hotel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Even when degraded, enzymes have stable backbones that might be capable of catalyzing reactions, said Sudha Rajamani, an astrobiologist at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune who wasn’t involved in the study.—
Siddhant Pusdekar,
Quanta Magazine,
1 June 2026
-
As songwriters, the Ottavianos usually only needed a metaphor, a single beautiful image, or a fun double entendre to serve as narrative backbones.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For most of her life, Fröbe-Kapteyn lived alone in her house on the shores of Lake Maggiore in Switzerland.—
Eliza Goodpasture,
ARTnews.com,
3 June 2026
-
Just as the white shores of Destin, Florida beckon with the allure of beachy dreams, this dish will conjure visions of your most memorable shoreside experience.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
That sentiment sustains the structural shift toward broader individual participation that has defined the past several years.—
Harry Temkin,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
Feeding the orbs To test how LiPfe sustains itself, Jobson’s team exposed its explants to isotopically labeled amino acids and ammonium.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Europe bolsters military alliances over Russia fears Mounting concern in Europe over Russia’s military ambitions — and a lack of confidence in US support — is driving new defense alliances across the continent.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
29 May 2026
-
The spooky, rumbling electronic score by Siriusmo (German EDM producer Moritz Friedrich) really bolsters the atmosphere of whimsy, weirdness and a tender sort of melancholy, a combination that’s uniquely Dupieux-ian and all the director’s own.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buttresses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttresses. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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