Synonyms of fortifying

fortifying

verb

present participle of fortify

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

• bracing
• strengthening
• readying
• poising
• steeling
• reinforcing
• bolstering
• nerving
• arming
• forearming
• enforcing
• buttressing
• sustaining
• psyching (up)
• comforting
• inuring
• hardening
• toughening
• encouraging
• supporting
• boosting
• stirring
• rousing
• rallying
• inspiring
• seasoning
• emboldening
• propping (up)
• cheering (up)
• buoying (up)
• heartening

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shaking
• discouraging
• demoralizing
• daunting
• undermining
• disheartening
• unnerving
• softening
• weakening
• sapping
• undercutting
• tiring
• dispiriting
• enervating
• debilitating
• psyching (out)
• prostrating
• enfeebling

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

• strengthening
• hardening
• toughening
• beefing (up)
• energizing
• tempering
• vitalizing
• invigorating
• annealing
• toning (up)
• firming (up)
• restrengthening

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• weakening
• crippling
• damaging
• impairing
• hurting
• debilitating
• injuring
• harming
• paralyzing
• undermining
• incapacitating
• enervating
• enfeebling
• undercutting
• breaking down
• wearing out
• sapping

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

• strengthening
• hardening
• adjusting
• inuring
• toughening
• bolstering
• steeling
• reinforcing
• adapting
• seasoning
• bracing
• indurating
• acclimating
• vitalizing
• enforcing
• invigorating
• buttressing
• tempering
• immunizing
• acclimatizing
• boosting
• annealing
• supporting
• conditioning
• habituating
• accustoming
• training
• naturalizing
• propping (up)
• breaking in
• limbering (up)
• forearming

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• softening
• weakening
• exhausting
• sapping
• enervating
• crippling
• debilitating
• incapacitating
• sensitizing
• emasculating
• enfeebling
• hamstringing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fortifying

Residents were busy fortifying their properties ahead of the peak of the weather event, as city officials positioned crews early to begin working on lining the shore with berms. — Lesley Marin, CBS News, 30 July 2026

Paramount now must strengthen its case for a high-stakes trial while fortifying Paramount’s existing businesses and managing uncertainty among the employee base. — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026

In response, Anthropic took the model off the market on June 12, and then re-released it on June 30 after fortifying its security. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 24 July 2026

New Orleans residents prepared for Bertha's arrival by fortifying their properties with sandbags, and many boat owners in the region moved their vessels out of docks located along the coast to safer locations. — Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 22 July 2026

Iran began fortifying the entrances and building a secure perimeter surrounding the entire mountain and Natanz in 2025, according to the Institute for Science and International Security. — Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Moscow has spent years fortifying Crimea, tripling its troop presence, deploying advanced air defenses and coastal batteries, and studding the land with missile launch systems. — Marc Santora, New York Times, 4 July 2026

The five-day trade fair drew Black businesspersons from dozens of states, fortifying Jackson’s assertion that economic development is the way to Black power. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026

More picks offer more chances at fortifying their roster, or more trade ammunition to move up for a quarterback in a strong draft class next spring. — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026