1
as in hardened
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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2
as in fortified
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 intensified
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 braced
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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as in sturdy
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Recent Examples of strengthened
Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2025
Dubai Duty Free also strengthened its senior management team with eight senior managers appointed to key roles, including seven UAE nationals.
—Kevin Rozario, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
Henry strengthened a strength, but where this offense has made its biggest strides is in the passing game.
—Tim Graham, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
Experts warn the island will keep struggling to attract investors until the debt is restructured and the power grid strengthened.
—Dánica Coto, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Experts warn that the island will continue to struggle to attract investors until the debt is restructured and the power grid is strengthened.
—Dánica Coto, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Jan. 2025
Having only strengthened its squad last summer, the Spanish champion certainly looks likely to achieve that feat.
—Neel Shelat, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
His command of coach Sean McVay’s offense has always been a valuable asset, including run checks, and Stafford has strengthened his connection with wideout Puka Nacua.
—Jeff Howe, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
Advances in surveillance technology, deeper insights into the drivers of disease spread, and strengthened global collaborations are helping scientists and public health authorities to better anticipate and mitigate risks.
—John Drake, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
The first direct link between alcohol use and cancer was first established in the late 1980s, and evidence for this link has strengthened over time, according to the report.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2025
Dubai Duty Free also strengthened its senior management team with eight senior managers appointed to key roles, including seven UAE nationals.
—Kevin Rozario, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
Henry strengthened a strength, but where this offense has made its biggest strides is in the passing game.
—Tim Graham, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
Experts warn the island will keep struggling to attract investors until the debt is restructured and the power grid strengthened.
—Dánica Coto, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Experts warn that the island will continue to struggle to attract investors until the debt is restructured and the power grid is strengthened.
—Dánica Coto, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Jan. 2025
Having only strengthened its squad last summer, the Spanish champion certainly looks likely to achieve that feat.
—Neel Shelat, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
His command of coach Sean McVay’s offense has always been a valuable asset, including run checks, and Stafford has strengthened his connection with wideout Puka Nacua.
—Jeff Howe, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
Advances in surveillance technology, deeper insights into the drivers of disease spread, and strengthened global collaborations are helping scientists and public health authorities to better anticipate and mitigate risks.
—John Drake, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strengthened
Verb
-
European colonial rule hardened the distinction.—
Emmet Livingstone,
The Dial,
20 Mar. 2025
-
The company doesn't say if the glass is hardened against breakage like Gorilla Glass.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
What hope had been fortified in the first half Wednesday had faded by the second.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2025
-
It is often fortified with iodine, a trace element necessary for thyroid health.—
Lindsey DeSoto,
Health,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The stock market endured its worst day of the year this week and fears of a recession have intensified.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
15 Mar. 2025
-
That fear — which initially arose after at least six staff members developed breast cancer from 2013 to 2022 — has only intensified after a beloved teacher died last fall and another at Warren Hills Elementary was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
At exactly noon on New Year’s Day, about 20 people braced their feet against the silty shore of Lake Natoma, hopping and fidgeting to warm themselves.—
Annika Merrilees,
Sacramento Bee,
1 Jan. 2025
-
Trinidad and Tobago declared a state of emergency on Monday as the government braced for reprisal shootings after an attempt on a gang leader’s life, officials said.—
Reuters,
NBC News,
30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Seek shelter in a sturdy structure until the storm has passed.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 July 2025
-
Photograph: Kat Merck AmazonBasics Small Packing Cubes for Travel, 4-Piece-Set $20 $14 (30% off) Amazon Not quite as compressive as our top pick, these Amazon Basics cubes offer sturdy mesh windows and durable fabric—a budget-friendly intro to packing cubes.—
Parker Hall,
Wired News,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
The asset limit under the bill would be automatically adjusted for inflation on a biennial basis.—
Josh Snyder,
Arkansas Online,
10 Apr. 2025
-
The stand also serves as a lens cover during transport, and the unit will automatically power on when the stand is adjusted for viewing.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
As the recession deepened and unemployment shot higher, the interest and the penalties on Natale’s loans compounded much faster than her ability to move up the ladder to higher paying jobs.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Those convictions were only deepened in the spring and summer of 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic and post-George Floyd protests.—
Alexander Nazaryan,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
However, the company has since reinforced its long-term commitment to the country and made great efforts to restore its standing in the local market.—
Tianwei Zhang,
WWD,
6 Jan. 2025
-
This tendency is reinforced throughout our lives.—
Dr. Sunita Sah,
TIME,
4 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strengthened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strengthened. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
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