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

The initiative will also support developing countries through outreach such as training, advisory services and institutional strengthening. —Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 28 Apr. 2026

Adelphi offers policy proposals across the IP spectrum that are meant to counterbalance the international strengthening of IP laws, regulations, and enforcement. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Apr. 2026

In the immediate term, the strengthening of the Haiti National Police is underway. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026

The benefits include more calories burned, greater muscle strengthening, and improved endurance. —Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026

What followed was not just the growth of an industry, but the strengthening of tribal self-determination. —Cody J Martinez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026

Indeed, both companies aim to continue the exploration of new synergies that contribute to the growth and strengthening of their editorial and audiovisual strategies. —Ed Meza, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026

That kind of last-minute strengthening has become an increasing concern for local emergency managers along the Texas coast. —Newsroom Meteorologist, Houston Chronicle, 25 Mar. 2026

Of course, the Elixir Ultime Oil, with its shine-enhancing, strengthening, and softening properties, would be one of Moore’s go-tos. —Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026

Verb

Its long-term goal is to create a market for film rights to adaptations of literary works from the region, thereby strengthening cooperation between the film and book industries. —Leo Barraclough, Variety, 6 May 2026

Beau founded the Beau Turner Youth Conservation Center, which aimed to get kids involved in outdoor activities while strengthening their connection to nature and wildlife. —Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026

Given the strengthening momentum backdrop and the potential inverse head-and-shoulders breakout, another constructive intermediate-term setup may be developing for GS. —Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 6 May 2026

The deal with Microsoft was seen as a symbol of strengthening relations between Kenya and the US, with Washington keen on countering Chinese influence in East Africa. —Martin K.n Siele, semafor.com, 6 May 2026

The Home Office has argued the government is increasing enforcement efforts against trafficking gangs and strengthening cooperation with France. —Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026

Reform proposals center on sharply limiting or banning congressional stock trading while strengthening enforcement with independent watchdogs that have real investigative power. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026

Microsoft committed $10 billion in 2023, strengthening OpenAI’s commercial expansion. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026

That includes supporting fuel supply and infrastructure, developing pilot and demonstration projects, strengthening port-to-port data connectivity, and promoting interoperability, cybersecurity and common standards. —Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 28 Apr. 2026