1
as in bracing
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
Kelly fortified herself for the basketball tournament with a series of confidence-boosting exercises
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2
as in strengthening
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 hardening
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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Recent Examples of fortifying
Hunter, acquired at the trade deadline last season in a move viewed at the time as fortifying an already stout roster, will likely be a mainstay in the starting lineup, at least while Strus is out.
—
Joe Vardon, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Once that decision is made, Posey and the rest of the Giants’ brass will shift its attention to fortifying their roster, generally, and their pitching depth, specifically.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 Sep. 2025
All three have prompted an increase in security inquiries and interest in fortifying existing security, Kucera said, starting with executive clients and now from universities.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
If readings reach dangerous levels, astronauts can construct a makeshift radiation shield inside Orion, fortifying themselves between the spacecraft's heatshield and water storage canisters, both of which are better at absorbing penetrating radiation than other onboard materials.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Just this past offseason Miami put an emphasis on fortifying the trenches, correcting a past wrong, adding players with size and girth on the offensive and defensive line via the NFL Draft.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
In the ultra-competitive Western Conference, the purple and gold will be looking to continue fortifying their roster, likely through the start of the regular season, with the trade deadline of February 6th circled on their calendar.
—Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
This healing blend is powered by Ayurvedic ingredients like virgin amla oil and brahmi, two staples in traditional hair remedies known for fortifying strands and stimulating hair growth.
—Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 1 Sep. 2025
Following a year in which a pair of cover songs propelled Maddell, 35, and Pavlovic, 24, to a new level of commercial success, the Australian musicians have spent much of 2025 fortifying their widening fan base.
—Josh Glicksman, Billboard, 12 Aug. 2025
Joe Vardon, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Once that decision is made, Posey and the rest of the Giants’ brass will shift its attention to fortifying their roster, generally, and their pitching depth, specifically.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 Sep. 2025
All three have prompted an increase in security inquiries and interest in fortifying existing security, Kucera said, starting with executive clients and now from universities.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
If readings reach dangerous levels, astronauts can construct a makeshift radiation shield inside Orion, fortifying themselves between the spacecraft's heatshield and water storage canisters, both of which are better at absorbing penetrating radiation than other onboard materials.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Just this past offseason Miami put an emphasis on fortifying the trenches, correcting a past wrong, adding players with size and girth on the offensive and defensive line via the NFL Draft.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
In the ultra-competitive Western Conference, the purple and gold will be looking to continue fortifying their roster, likely through the start of the regular season, with the trade deadline of February 6th circled on their calendar.
—Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
This healing blend is powered by Ayurvedic ingredients like virgin amla oil and brahmi, two staples in traditional hair remedies known for fortifying strands and stimulating hair growth.
—Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 1 Sep. 2025
Following a year in which a pair of cover songs propelled Maddell, 35, and Pavlovic, 24, to a new level of commercial success, the Australian musicians have spent much of 2025 fortifying their widening fan base.
—Josh Glicksman, Billboard, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortifying
Verb
-
As the federal government shutdown drags into its 24th day, millions of American families are bracing for the possibility that November’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will not arrive on time.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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Tracy’s dialogue, though absent the staccato non sequiturs of the director’s earlier work, has a bracing nastiness; every visual flourish and every menacing thrum of the score, by Jerskin Fendrix, escalates the intensity of Stone and Plemons’s bravura showdown.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Sherman Phoenix board of directors has committed to strengthening leadership and accountability.—
La Risa R. Lynch,
jsonline.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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The Office of Special Education is tasked with supporting and monitoring state compliance and strengthening special education services covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).—
K. Ward Cummings,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fortifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortifying. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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