Synonyms of strengthening

strengthening 1 of 3

adjective

as in reviving

Related Words

• reviving
• conditioning
• stimulating
• rejuvenating
• bracing
• vitalizing
• vital
• refreshing
• restorative
• tonic
• life-giving
• stimulative
• cordial
• invigorating
• therapeutic
• quickening
• beneficial
• animating
• exhilarating
• corrective
• curative
• remedial
• rectifying
• rehabilitative
• curing
• medicinal
• reformative
• reparative
• recuperative
• healthful
• reformatory
• healthy
• helpful
• salutary
• remedying
• exhilarative
• wholesome
• sharp
• salubrious

Dissimilar Words

• weakening
• draining
• debilitating
• deadening
• exhausting
• injurious
• numbing
• pernicious
• deleterious
• sapping
• enfeebling
• enervating
• wearying
• unhealthy
• noxious
• unhealthful
• unwholesome
• insalubrious

strengthening

2 of 3

noun

as in increase

Related Words

• increase
• enhancement
• amelioration
• upswing
• upturn
• heightening
• uplift
• boost
• breakthrough
• advance
• evolution
• betterment
• development
• maturation
• quantum leap
• growth
• melioration
• advancement
• expansion
• uptrend
• upgrade
• education
• refinement
• ripening
• elaboration
• revival
• enlightenment
• edification
• civilization
• renaissance
• perfection
• gestation
• innovation
• find
• discovery
• windfall
• renascence
• invention

Dissimilar Words

• collapse
• breakdown
• crash
• reduction
• decrease
• weakening
• impediment
• hindrance
• failing
• deterioration
• decline
• worsening
• stumbling block
• sinking
• decay
• lessening
• degeneration
• slowing
• lapse
• impairment
• detriment
• descent
• downgrade
• decadence
• declension
• drawback
• shortcoming
• flagging
• diminishment
• disablement
• glitch
• setback
• ebbing
• languishment

strengthening

3 of 3

verb

present participle of strengthen

1

as in hardening

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

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

2

as in fortifying

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

3

as in deepening

to make markedly greater in measure or degree

encouraged the boarding school students to strengthen their ties with the community by doing public service

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deepening
• enhancing
• intensifying
• heightening
• consolidating
• reinforcing
• boosting
• broadening
• expanding
• amplifying
• sharpening
• accentuating
• stepping up
• augmenting
• emphasizing
• redoubling
• magnifying
• lengthening
• extending
• enforcing
• accelerating
• beefing (up)
• maximizing
• enlarging
• supplementing
• amping (up)
• hastening
• stressing
• quickening
• pointing (up)
• restrengthening
• enlivening
• exacerbating
• aggravating
• jazzing (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reducing
• decreasing
• moderating
• weakening
• diminishing
• lessening
• abating
• subduing
• waning
• dwindling
• receding
• tapering (off)
• subsiding
• alleviating
• toning (down)
• easing
• lightening
• letting up (on)

4

as in bracing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

5

as in stiffening

to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe

a bill was introduced to strengthen punishments for hate crimes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stiffening
• toughening
• hardening
• harshening

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• easing
• softening
• lessening
• ameliorating
• moderating

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of strengthening

Noun

That’s in addition to the earlier dismantling of USAID (which trained social mobilizers for surveillance and active case finding) and the withdrawal from the WHO (whose technical expertise informed laboratory strengthening and data systems). — Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026

Environmental conditions appear favorable for gradual strengthening during the next few days as the system approaches the Hawaiian Islands, the hurricane center said in an online forecast. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Instead, Washington will help manage the program and support the strengthening of Liberia’s own immigration system. — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026

These actions should be paired with measures that expand protections for the United States’ biotech innovation infrastructure, including the strengthening of a national security review process governing foreign investment in the sector. — Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

In response, the OLCI offered a proposal that combines legal reforms and institutional strengthening as well as operational actions. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 13 Aug. 2026

As of Wednesday morning, the chances of strengthening were up to 80% in the next two to seven days. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2026

Additional tubing and brackets went into the engine compartment to add extra strengthening. — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 10 Aug. 2026

In Thursday’s announcement, Canal+ highlighted that the new deal would also see a strengthening of its support for new filmmakers and new styles of filmmaking; debut films and emerging talent; diversity film and animated films. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 July 2026

Verb

There is a possibility that the strengthening El Niño weather event creates a mild early winter in northeast Asia which reduces demand, Drinkwater said. — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026

On stage, Semafor will convene leaders from across these sectors to explore practical strategies for strengthening resilience, supporting families and educators, improving digital literacy, and expanding access to mental health resources. — Semafor Events, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026

The report said the company was strengthening its research infrastructure, increasing monitoring and improving safeguards designed to prevent harmful or unintended behavior. — Reuters, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026

Borrowers can potentially lower their private student loan interest rate by strengthening their credit, improving their debt-to-income ratio, or applying with a creditworthy co-signer. — Deane Biermeier, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

The Climate Prediction Center forecasts El Niño to continue strengthening through the end of the year. — Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026

The National Hurricane Center is tracking two disturbances, but the first one is near Bermuda and its chances of strengthening into a tropical depression or storm are dropping. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026

The Vietnam Department of Environment’s draft policy calls for strengthening the role of private sector stakeholders in implementing EPR practices. — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026

Auction houses are strengthening authentication through specialist research and archives, but online sales remain a particular risk. — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 19 Aug. 2026