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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Recognizing the nutritional vacuum in many products, cereal companies attempted to salvage their image by fortifying sugary cereals with vitamins and minerals.
—Heather Hunter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2025
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
Recognizing the nutritional vacuum in many products, cereal companies attempted to salvage their image by fortifying sugary cereals with vitamins and minerals.
—Heather Hunter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortifying
Verb
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Not since John Cazale made The Godfather Part II (1974), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and The Deer Hunter (1978) in sequence has a five-year stretch of acting been quite so bracing.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
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State and local health departments are now bracing for how the shutdown could affect their work to keep communities safe and healthy – and some worry about disruptions in communications with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies in times of need.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Takaichi, a hard-line conservative who’s cited former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as her hero, has called for strengthening Japan’s military, and taking a tougher stance against China and North Korea.—
Bradford Betz,
FOXNews.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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Beyond transactions, New World Realty remains active in charitable initiatives and local events, strengthening the ties that have defined its legacy for more than three decades.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fortifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortifying. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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