1
as in to brace
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
Kelly fortified herself for the basketball tournament with a series of confidence-boosting exercises
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to strengthen
to increase the ability of (as a muscle) to exert physical force
he downed another granola bar to fortify himself for the rest of the bike ride
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3
as in to harden
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
bought lots of warm clothing to fortify ourselves against the cold
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fortify
Canada’s defense commitment Canada has spent nearly a billion dollars fortifying its southern border.
—
Paula Newton, CNN Money, 20 Jan. 2026
The sparkling Sun turns on the lights in your 4th House of Nesting, inviting you to fortify your base with practical moves.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 19 Jan. 2026
The project seeks to fortify major infrastructure to spur an economic renaissance based on boosting jobs in the artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, and energy sectors.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 17 Jan. 2026
The economic cost is caused by losses in the fishing industry, damage to coastal communities and impacts to systems that help fortify those communities, like mangroves and reefs.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fortify
Paula Newton, CNN Money, 20 Jan. 2026
The sparkling Sun turns on the lights in your 4th House of Nesting, inviting you to fortify your base with practical moves.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 19 Jan. 2026
The project seeks to fortify major infrastructure to spur an economic renaissance based on boosting jobs in the artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, and energy sectors.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 17 Jan. 2026
The economic cost is caused by losses in the fishing industry, damage to coastal communities and impacts to systems that help fortify those communities, like mangroves and reefs.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fortify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortify
Verb
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Indian traders are bracing for a year of record government debt supply, which may keep borrowing costs elevated in the nation’s bond market.—
Subhadip Sircar,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
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Tri-State Area residents are bracing themselves for an extended period of unseasonably cold temperatures.—
Justin Lewis,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Denmark will also tighten controls on foreigners without legal residence, introduce a new anklet monitor for criminal foreigners, reopen an embassy in Syria and strengthen cooperation with authorities in Afghanistan.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
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Snow is expected to pile up in parts of the southern Appalachians, the Carolinas and southern Virginia late Friday night into Saturday as the storm rapidly strengthens offshore.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The tournament ground’s Circle of Palms readies an upgrade with the debut of the Veroni Charcuterie and Champagne Lounge.—
Tim Newcomb,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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On the other side of a chain link fence, a women’s pickleball foursome click-clacked through a couple of sets, seemingly clueless about the identity of the two young men readying themselves for the start of the 2026 season.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fortify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortify. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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