1
as in braces
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
Kelly fortified herself for the basketball tournament with a series of confidence-boosting exercises
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strengthens
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hardens
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
bought lots of warm clothing to fortify ourselves against the cold
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 fortifies
Adding keratin back into hair fortifies the strands ultimately yielding stronger, healthier hair.
—
Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
Trading for Vucevic fortifies Boston’s front court–and provides a valuable play-making skill set to complement Jaylen Brown in a season worthy of MVP consideration.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
That night, Pam fortifies herself with a few drinks and answers when the phone rings.
—Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 conservative majority regularly fortifies religious rights, but the justices have also been wary of expanding government officials’ exposure to damages in their individual capacities.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 10 Nov. 2025
Rice protein fortifies each strand to reduce breakage, while hyaluronic acid provides weightless hydration so hair stays soft without feeling heavy.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
Trying to stay ahead of the game, for Dick’s the acquisition of Foot Locker also fortifies relationships with Nike and Adidas, which still dominate global footwear sales, and gives Dick’s negotiating leverage.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The future Hall of Famer only fortifies the talented roster, and gives Houston an experienced star who has the championship hardware to prove it.
—Valentina Martinez, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
Trading for Vucevic fortifies Boston’s front court–and provides a valuable play-making skill set to complement Jaylen Brown in a season worthy of MVP consideration.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
That night, Pam fortifies herself with a few drinks and answers when the phone rings.
—Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 conservative majority regularly fortifies religious rights, but the justices have also been wary of expanding government officials’ exposure to damages in their individual capacities.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 10 Nov. 2025
Rice protein fortifies each strand to reduce breakage, while hyaluronic acid provides weightless hydration so hair stays soft without feeling heavy.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
Trying to stay ahead of the game, for Dick’s the acquisition of Foot Locker also fortifies relationships with Nike and Adidas, which still dominate global footwear sales, and gives Dick’s negotiating leverage.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The future Hall of Famer only fortifies the talented roster, and gives Houston an experienced star who has the championship hardware to prove it.
—Valentina Martinez, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortifies
Verb
-
As South Florida braces for yet another spring break tourist deluge, here are 85 restaurants, bars and food trucks spanning Broward to Palm Beach counties waiting to serve them all with spotless kitchens.—
Phillip Valys,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The office is intended to make more of those second chances possible as North Texas braces for decades of job growth.—
Wilborn P. Nobles III,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Genuine courtesy strengthens your reputation across all spheres.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Rice water increases the density of follicles on the scalp, strengthens the growth process, and imparts silkiness.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Additional riders will be then invited as the company readies service for all later this year.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Martinez, who has been with the district for 13 years, delivered the news of his resignation as the teachers union, Twin Rivers United Educators, readies to strike.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fortifies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortifies. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
