strengthened 1 of 2

strengthened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of strengthen
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4
5
as in stiffened
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe a bill was introduced to strengthen punishments for hate crimes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of strengthened
Adjective
The foundations were welded and bolted to the strengthened deck, and the rotors themselves, fabricated with inner steel cores and composite shells, were then lifted by crane. Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026 Arreola, who knew Jackson for more than 20 years, says his lasting legacy will live on in the young leaders shaped through Rainbow/PUSH and in the strengthened relationship between Latino and Black communities in Chicago. Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
But also for the bond that strengthened between coach and quarterback. Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026 Daily cheers for health care professionals and essential workers honored the people who sustained the city and strengthened the bonds between residents. Robert W. Snyder, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 2026 The naira has strengthened over the past year and appears on course to finish the year with its best position since 2018. Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Safety and public trust are strengthened when transparency, governance and proportional data use are built into the architecture from the outset. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026 The intimates giant saw double-digit, top-line gains while profits topped expectations and the outlook for the full year was strengthened. Evan Clark, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026 With tankers at a standstill and fuel prices climbing, the war strengthened a clean-power sales pitch. ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 While Liang’s ties with the government have strengthened, his tech bets appear to be a convergence with Beijing’s priorities rather than state-directed, Wang noted. Anniek Bao,elaine Yu, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026 Thanks to a blend of peptides, biotin, green tea extract, amino acids, and antioxidants, expect strengthened, conditioned brows over time. Iman Balagam, Vogue, 27 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strengthened
Adjective
  • Neither Jović nor Eala has a sturdy serve, as is common among players their age, so quick points were few and far between.
    Ava Wallace, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Its full aluminum build is sturdy and lightweight enough to hold for a long time, and battery life is solid for how bright the screen is, clocking in at over six hours on a single charge in our testing.
    K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is facing a tight contest for a Senate seat, also hardened his stance against data centers recently.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The rare trip by CIA chief John Ratcliffe failed to persuade Putin to stop the war and may have hardened the Russian’s leaders resolve to seek military victory.
    Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The offensive line and defensive lines have been stabilized, and hopefully fortified, and a new starting secondary is being tested.
    Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Japan in recent years has fortified its southwestern region with longer range missiles and interceptors.
    Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • With peace efforts stalled, Russia has intensified its attacks on Kyiv and other cities with relentless bombardments recently stretching into daylight hours, taking advantage of Ukraine’s shortage of air defensive systems.
    ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Zelenskyy links Russian strikes to envoys’ visit The air war between Russia and Ukraine has intensified as troops have struggled to make progress along the 1,250-kilometer (775-mile) front line.
    Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • With oil prices on the rise, investors have braced for potentially tighter monetary policy out of the Fed.
    Fred Imbert, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The assessor’s office staff said they’re braced for a slew of appeals from out-of-state residents.
    Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Bile rose in Evie’s throat and her body stiffened under his touch.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The possible move, unthinkable for legacy studios but in keeping with exits by businesses in other sectors, has only stiffened opposition to the merger in some corners.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • But her thickened skin, along with her toughened reputation, felt supple now.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Trump announced a toughened stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine on Monday, setting a 50-day deadline for Moscow to reach a ceasefire or face sanctions.
    Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • Wong on Tuesday announced in the parliament that ministerial salaries will be adjusted upwards, having remained unchanged for 15 years.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
  • In the meantime, the Seahawks have been busy getting adjusted to first-year offensive coordinator Brian Fleury’s system ahead of Wednesday’s season opener.
    Andrew Destin, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Strengthened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strengthened. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster