1
as in bracing
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
Kelly fortified herself for the basketball tournament with a series of confidence-boosting exercises
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fortifying
Analysts noted similar activity occurred before last year’s Operation Midnight Hammer strikes, suggesting a pattern of fortifying critical facilities in anticipation of attacks.
—
Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026
Elevating their expertise and fortifying their decades-long involvement in the process of independent evaluation and guidance is critical to restore public trust in federal policymaking.
—Jerome Adams, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026
Iran already appears to be preparing for this option by fortifying its defenses around its nuclear assets, satellite images from Vantor indicate.
—Nancy A. Youssef, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2026
Inside church walls, some are already fortifying rooms and stockpiling food and blankets.
—Caitlin Hu, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
The five-day trade fair draws Black businesspersons from dozens of states fortifying Jackson’s assertion that economic development is the way to Black power.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
If healthy, Burrow (5-3 as a starter in 2025) will help significantly elevate the Bengals, as will a free agency and draft devoted to fortifying the defense.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Sandoval was one of about 90 people who participated in a January 2026 whistle-kit building event with the aim of setting up and fortifying a system to alert metro Detroit community members to the presence of immigration agents.
—Darcie Moran, Freep.com, 5 Feb. 2026
In public, Newsom speaks often and openly about his errors, fortifying his image as a bumptious, slightly hapless victim of his own enthusiasms.
—Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026
Elevating their expertise and fortifying their decades-long involvement in the process of independent evaluation and guidance is critical to restore public trust in federal policymaking.
—Jerome Adams, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026
Iran already appears to be preparing for this option by fortifying its defenses around its nuclear assets, satellite images from Vantor indicate.
—Nancy A. Youssef, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2026
Inside church walls, some are already fortifying rooms and stockpiling food and blankets.
—Caitlin Hu, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
The five-day trade fair draws Black businesspersons from dozens of states fortifying Jackson’s assertion that economic development is the way to Black power.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
If healthy, Burrow (5-3 as a starter in 2025) will help significantly elevate the Bengals, as will a free agency and draft devoted to fortifying the defense.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Sandoval was one of about 90 people who participated in a January 2026 whistle-kit building event with the aim of setting up and fortifying a system to alert metro Detroit community members to the presence of immigration agents.
—Darcie Moran, Freep.com, 5 Feb. 2026
In public, Newsom speaks often and openly about his errors, fortifying his image as a bumptious, slightly hapless victim of his own enthusiasms.
—Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortifying
Verb
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If a November ballot measure to increase sales tax funding fails and no new revenue becomes available, the agency is bracing for drastic cuts and fare increases.—
Lilly Kersh,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Cahill and his group will be bracing the cold and rain until midnight on Friday in hopes of collecting the data that will, in return, gain attention and funding.—
Jessica Riley,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The program delivers on the government’s Plan for Change, supporting economic growth through defense investment while strengthening national security.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Apr. 2026
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That includes strengthening its internal culture, refining legal strategy, and maintaining clear standards around results and professional integrity.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fortifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortifying. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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