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
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 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
-
For the Kansas test, researchers cut around 40% of the house’s anchors to the ground and hit it again, first with 110 mph, and finally 130 mph.—
Alexandra Phelps,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
-
Alumnae have become actors, anchors, authors and more.—
Sharon Chin,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Joining me to discuss rising production costs, shifts in viewing preferences, and the demise of one of the pillars of late night television is USA TODAY TV Critic Kelly Lawler.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
19 May 2026
-
The library is a one-story brick building with two white pillars up front sticking out like tusks, smooth and thin.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The Pisces Moon in your 2nd House of Values trine Jupiter supports confidence around income, self-worth, and using resources in ways that grow rather than merely maintain.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
-
Research supports the view that leadership skill requirements are evolving alongside technological change.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The Fed under pressure The latest inflation reading reinforces expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged for a while — doing little to ease consumers' current affordability challenges.—
Jessica Dickler,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
-
This shift also reinforces pricing power at the top end of luxury.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
There's also a perception that squishy invertebrates — creatures without backbones — weren't formidable enough to join the ranks of top predators.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The nearest human settlement to the frequent storms is Ologa, Venezuela, a remote stilt village located on the shores of Lake Maracaibo.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
13 May 2026
-
Unlike America, whose global role draws it into crises far from its shores, China’s path to influence runs first through its own neighborhood.—
Yu Jie,
Time,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Rules compelling basic disclosure or human-in-the-loop oversight in high-stakes contexts can reinforce the trust that sustains adoption over time.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
-
Over the last two years, 30,000 to 40,000 Russian men have been inducted into the rolls every month, enough to replace the 30,000 or so casualties the Russian army sustains on the battlefield on a monthly basis.—
Daniel DePetris,
Twin Cities,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The agreement also bolsters AI protections, specifically around consent and compensation, and establishes minimum rate increases.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
-
Lots of laughter and playing with joy, even in the hardest of moments, truly bolsters well-being!—
Jenny B. Fine,
Footwear News,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buttresses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttresses. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
