1
as in hardens
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fortifies
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in intensifies
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in braces
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of strengthens
All that support undoubtedly strengthens a campaign.
—
Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 3 June 2026
Landing the greatest shooter in NBA history gives Li-Ning a marquee athlete and further strengthens China's growing presence in the league.
—Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
In this screen-free environment, the two narrators meet and form a friendship that strengthens them both.
—Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
Outdoor recreation improves mental health and cognitive clarity, strengthens immune and heart function and supports healthy childhood development through free and exploratory play.
—Jessica Turner, USA Today, 1 June 2026
Newsom’s trailer bill tightens eligibility, narrows qualifying pre-existing conditions and strengthens oversight of medical evaluations.
—Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 31 May 2026
Recognizing gaps between inner state and outer behavior strengthens self-awareness.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
For SpaceX, the latest award further strengthens its position as the Pentagon’s dominant commercial space partner.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 May 2026
Costco has largely held the line, with Vachris and the company’s board arguing that a diverse workforce and supplier base strengthens talent recruitment and innovation, according to reporting from The Wall Street Journal.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 28 May 2026
Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 3 June 2026
Landing the greatest shooter in NBA history gives Li-Ning a marquee athlete and further strengthens China's growing presence in the league.
—Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
In this screen-free environment, the two narrators meet and form a friendship that strengthens them both.
—Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
Outdoor recreation improves mental health and cognitive clarity, strengthens immune and heart function and supports healthy childhood development through free and exploratory play.
—Jessica Turner, USA Today, 1 June 2026
Newsom’s trailer bill tightens eligibility, narrows qualifying pre-existing conditions and strengthens oversight of medical evaluations.
—Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 31 May 2026
Recognizing gaps between inner state and outer behavior strengthens self-awareness.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
For SpaceX, the latest award further strengthens its position as the Pentagon’s dominant commercial space partner.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 May 2026
Costco has largely held the line, with Vachris and the company’s board arguing that a diverse workforce and supplier base strengthens talent recruitment and innovation, according to reporting from The Wall Street Journal.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strengthens
Verb
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Leaders start trusting that past wins will carry them forward, and the trust hardens into something that no longer gets examined.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
The process relies on urushi, a natural lacquer derived from tree sap that hardens over time into a durable, food-safe coating.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The Olive and June product can also be applied daily to bare nails as an intensive strengthening treatment that not only fortifies your claws, but also repairs ridges, discoloration, and pesky peeling along the way.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
3 June 2026
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The Plumb Club is involved in this effort because presenting third-party assurances of an item’s sourcing and production history builds customer trust, drives sales and thus fortifies the gem, jewelry and watch industries.—
Kyle Roderick,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Verb
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The company has also deepened ties with major technology players including Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, even as competition intensifies across the AI industry.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
8 June 2026
-
The process tenderizes the ingredient and intensifies its natural flavor.—
Maddy Sweitzer-Lamme,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 June 2026
Verb
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Although the novel’s center does not quite hold, O’Farrell’s emotional intelligence — the heart and heat of her characters — braces this sometimes unwieldy chronicle of a nation that has been subject to cumbrous historic agonies.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
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Now, New York braces for a potential showdown with either the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder or Victor Wembanyama’s rising San Antonio Spurs.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Golden State’s schedule stiffens with an upcoming trip to New York and Indiana.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
14 May 2026
-
The rings arise because the metal softens as the can compresses, then stiffens, then compresses and stiffens again, repeating the pattern until the compression is complete—akin to something called homoclinic snaking.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2026
Verb
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And broadcast fees, which have long been a significant source of revenues for teams, will shrink as the league adjusts its framework for televising games to the streaming era, experts said.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
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Comparable sales, or comps, is a key metric for the retail industry that adjusts for new store openings and closings to ensure fair year-over-year comparisons.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Verb
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And here is a helpful tip — a teaspoon of honey enhances the flavors splendidly.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
2 June 2026
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Reducing onboard noise, therefore, improves the effectiveness of the vessel’s surveillance equipment and enhances operating conditions for the crew.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
From your perspective, what distinguishes the kind of conflict that deepens a story from one that just reinforces division?—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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The Living Room bar has an undeniable energy and reinforces the hotel’s identity as a lifestyle hotel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strengthens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strengthens. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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