shore (up)

verb

Definition of shore (up)next
1
as in to sustain
to hold up or serve as a foundation for a highway tunnel shored up by massive columns of concrete

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to reinforce
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) used an avalanche of statistics to shore up his claim that the state's economy is in fine shape

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shore (up)
  1. sustain
  2. reinforce
  3. carry
  4. bolster
  5. support
  6. prove
  7. stay
Verb
  • One unit sustained extensive damage, while the other two units had minor damage, fire officials said.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Frankly, these stakes aren’t high enough to sustain a two-act show, and the dramatic moments feel forced at times.
    — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of sustain
Verb
  • Rather than demolishing and starting again, the team kept the historic walls standing, reinforced every one of them, and dug beneath to take the foundations deeper.
    — Lucas Oliver Mill, Architectural Digest, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The event gave the community a chance to dispose of Halloween pumpkins in an eco-friendly way that would keep them out of landfills and also help reinforce the soil.
    — David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of reinforce
Verb
  • The shop also carries beer, seasonal wines and adult-only slushies with a rotating flavor each week like Rosemary’s Baby, a mix of grapefruit vodka, maple syrup infused with rosemary and a little bit of lemon for balance.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The weapon carries a 1,000-pound penetrator and blast-fragmentation warhead designed to destroy large surface vessels.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of carry
Verb
  • Research on whether current or future AI systems could develop consciousness may further bolster the nascent AI rights movement.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The governor also urged national lawmakers to pass a federal film and television incentive, which could augment states’ efforts to bolster local production.
    — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of bolster
Verb
  • Kurtz also pointed to declines in cities like San Francisco, which is moving to support more sober-living options, housing that bans drugs and alcohol.
    — Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 8 Nov. 2026
  • However, until recently the US has selectively supported investigations, for instance into war crimes in Darfur and during the Syrian civil war, and – under President Biden – into Russian atrocities in Ukraine.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of support
Verb
  • His public events have focused on his pet projects in Washington, which have proven unpopular with voters.
    — STEVEN SLOAN, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The evidence in this case has proven that Colorado’s anti-discrimination laws and policies are not a backdoor attempt to compel or control religion.
    — Megan Schrader, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of prove
Verb
  • Reaves rested from the sideline during the slide, but Redick stayed committed to the pre-determined rotation matrix to ensure star players get their necessary breaks.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The election created an opportunity to give them reasons to stay, build and discover.
    — Carole LaBonne, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of stay
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.

Browse Nearby Words

shores (up)
shore (up)
shoring
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Cite this Entry

“Shore (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shore%20%28up%29. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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