reinforcement

noun

re·​in·​force·​ment ˌrē-ən-ˈfȯrs-mənt 

1

: the action of strengthening or encouraging something : the state of being reinforced

2

: something that strengthens or encourages something: such as

a

: an addition of troops, supplies, etc., that augments the strength of an army or other military force

—usually plural

About 8 a.m. Soviet tanks and armored personnel carriers containing reinforcements approached the gorge from the right flank.

—John Barron

b

: something designed to provide additional strength (as in a weak area)

a bridge in need of steel reinforcements

c

: a response to someone's behavior that is intended to make that person more likely to behave that way again

positive/negative reinforcement

3

psychology : the action of causing a subject to learn to give or to increase the frequency of a desired response that in classical conditioning involves the repeated presentation of an unconditioned stimulus (such as the sight of food) paired with a conditioned stimulus (such as the sound of a bell) and that in operant conditioning involves the use of a reward following a correct response or a punishment following an incorrect response

also : the reward, punishment, or unconditioned stimulus used in reinforcement

Synonyms

• brace
• buttress
• mount
• mounting
• prop
• shore
• spur
• stay
• support
• underpinning

Examples of reinforcement in a Sentence

“We're outnumbered! Call for reinforcements!”

We need to prevent enemy reinforcements from reaching the front line.

The bridge is in need of reinforcement.

You should encourage good behavior with positive reinforcement.

Recent Examples on the Web

When no reinforcements came, the soldiers abandoned their posts and fled to the border bridge, according to the KNU. —Helen Regan, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024

In a new paper published today in Science Robotics, researchers detail their recent efforts to adapt a machine learning subset known as deep reinforcement learning (deep RL) to teach bipedal bots a simplified version of the sport. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 Apr. 2024

Mary Mason has taken the lead on the lower portion of her block in the district’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood and often calls in reinforcements from the city. —Sophie Hills, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Apr. 2024

In 2022, the Interior Ministry outlined changes to building codes, including reinforcements for buildings susceptible to earthquakes, the Taipei Times reported at the time. —Victoria Bisset, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024

However, reinforcement learning is not the only method for adding safeguards to AI chatbots. —Maxwell Zeff and Thomas Germain / Gizmodo, Quartz, 29 Mar. 2024

The psychological principles that underlie effective coaching include motivation, self-efficacy, and the power of positive reinforcement. —Jia Rizvi, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

The platform will also help companies run a process called reinforcement learning from AI feedback (RLAIF), where a separate AI model critiques the responses of the AI model that is being trained. —Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024

More reinforcements should be on the way shortly, with Alex Cobb throwing five innings in a minor-league game Thursday. —Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

reinforcement

noun

re·​in·​force·​ment ˌrē-ən-ˈfōr-smənt 

-ˈfȯr-

1

: the action of reinforcing : the state of being reinforced

2

: something that reinforces

Medical Definition

reinforcement

noun

re·​in·​force·​ment ˌrē-ən-ˈfōr-smənt, -ˈfȯr- 

: the action of causing a subject (as a student or an experimental animal) to learn to give or to increase the frequency of a desired response that in classical conditioning involves the repeated presentation of an unconditioned stimulus (as the sight of food) paired with a conditioned stimulus (as the sound of a bell) and that in operant conditioning involves the use of a reward following a correct response or a punishment following an incorrect response

also : the reward, punishment, or unconditioned stimulus used in reinforcement compare recruitment sense 1