1
as in to harden
to increase the ability of (as a muscle) to exert physical force
lifting weights every day will eventually strengthen your muscles the army makes new recruits run for miles in order to strengthen them
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to fortify
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
required weeks of physical therapy to strengthen his arm enough to pitch for the team again
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3
as in to enhance
to make markedly greater in measure or degree
encouraged the boarding school students to strengthen their ties with the community by doing public service
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4
as in to brace
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
strengthened herself for the moment she'd have to tell her friend that she had lost the borrowed necklace
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of strengthen
Arik De, Etihad’s chief revenue and commercial officer, said the service strengthens links between the Southeast United States and the airline’s global network.
—
Chase Jordan
april 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026
The event brought together local philanthropic leaders to explore how strategic investment can strengthen nonprofit organizations and expand their impact across San Diego County, a news release stated.
—News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
In most studies of Hebbian plasticity, neurons can strengthen or weaken their connection if they are activated within milliseconds of each other.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 24 Apr. 2026
That dynamic was on full display today as Canadian AI company Cohere announced a strategic partnership with German AI startup Aleph Alpha, forming a transatlantic alliance aimed at strengthening their position in the global AI market.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strengthen
Chase Jordan
april 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026
The event brought together local philanthropic leaders to explore how strategic investment can strengthen nonprofit organizations and expand their impact across San Diego County, a news release stated.
—News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
In most studies of Hebbian plasticity, neurons can strengthen or weaken their connection if they are activated within milliseconds of each other.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 24 Apr. 2026
That dynamic was on full display today as Canadian AI company Cohere announced a strategic partnership with German AI startup Aleph Alpha, forming a transatlantic alliance aimed at strengthening their position in the global AI market.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strengthen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strengthen
Verb
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The dark forms of lunar maria, or lunar seas, will be easy to see with the naked eye, scarring the lunar surface where ancient lava flows once flooded networks of impact basins before hardening to form sweeping basaltic planes.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
22 Apr. 2026
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The judges also said the district court’s ruling violated a 1996 federal law that hardened immigration enforcement and restricted judicial power on immigration.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Breslow’s job was to fortify that group, and his trade for first baseman Willson Contreras was not enough of an answer.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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Particularly so at the positions that Denver still needs to fortify.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The series’ earnestly naïve sound design (horses neighing, cars revving) only enhanced my appreciation of Joudrey’s sophisticated storytelling.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Set the scene Where once hotels were conceived and designed to enhance a sense of escape, Lombok Lodge Villas’ architecture (a collaboration between architect Vittorio Sioni and the owners) is about recalibrating and reawakening the senses.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On April 14th, as Kyiv braced for a round of Russian strikes, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, was seven hundred and fifty miles away, in Berlin, forging a defense agreement with Germany, part of a tour of European allies to raise support for military aid.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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But as the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season nears, many Floridians are bracing for the storm, and that includes buying a hurricane preparedness kit, getting the hurricane shutters out of the garage, and/or devising what to do with your car.—
Jennifer Sangalang,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Your Cardiovascular Health Can Improve Quickly Arteries naturally stiffen with age, which can raise your risk of heart attack and stroke.—
MD Published,
Verywell Health,
11 Apr. 2026
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The men’s Run 900 Ultra Black Shorts feature integrated Rheon technology, a reactive polymer that remains soft at rest but stiffens under pressure.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Stay honest, keep your promises realistic, and let the connection adjust naturally instead of trying to control the outcome.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Another challenge was adjusting to expectations for onscreen intimacy, a staple of vertical dramas.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The shooting has also intensified calls by conservatives to fully fund DHS through a single bill — blaming Democrats for the shutdown and arguing that splitting apart ICE and Border Patrol funding will only give the minority party leverage.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
28 Apr. 2026
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Instead, the slight thaw suggests a more modest agenda that the countries should now pursue, one that acknowledges that tensions between them over fundamental issues — trade, technology, global status — are more likely to intensify than abate.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Vikings could target him as an undrafted signing to bolster a defensive backs group that should look far different when the draft concludes.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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This premise, bolstered by excellent performances all around, could easily have sustained a totally enjoyable TV show.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strengthen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strengthen. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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