strengthen
verb
strength·en ˈstreŋ(k)-thən 
ˈstren(t)-
strengthened; strengthening ˈstreŋ(k)th-niŋ
ˈstren(t)th-;
ˈstreŋ(k)-thə-,
ˈstren(t)-
transitive verb
: to make stronger
intransitive verb
: to become stronger
strengthener
ˈstreŋ(k)th-nər
noun ˈstren(t)th-;
ˈstreŋ(k)-thə-
ˈstren(t)-
Synonyms
- beef (up)
- fortify
- harden
- toughen
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
These exercises will strengthen your stomach muscles. He takes herbs to strengthen his immune system. The development of new electronic products has strengthened the company's position as the leader in digital technology. Holidays often serve to strengthen bonds between family members. Their financial situation strengthened her determination to find a new career. The team has been strengthened by the addition of several new players. The winds are expected to strengthen. The economy is slowly strengthening. The Canadian dollar is strengthening against the U.S. dollar. The trade restrictions will strengthen the pound. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Kim was combative toward South Korea in Thursday’s speech and urged his country to expand the operational roles of its tactical nuclear weapons and accelerate their deployment to strengthen the country’s war deterrent. 
Kim Tong-hyung, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Sep. 2022 After making a handful of investments over the years to test their theses, Nigeria’s venture capitalists are raising follow-on funds to strengthen their portfolios for an evolving economic climate. Alexander Onukwue, Quartz, 31 Aug. 2022 However Khan appears to have leveraged his ouster to strengthen his base of popular support. Susannah George, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2022 Some human rights advocates, who have lobbied the Pentagon for years to strengthen its policies and practices to prevent civilian harm, praised the plan’s scope and breadth. Eric Schmitt, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Aug. 2022 The president of Mexico also visited the area and military reinforcements were sent into Tijuana to strengthen security, according to NPR. Brieanna J. Frank, USA TODAY, 25 Aug. 2022 The seated bent-knee block hold demonstrated in this video works to strengthen low, deep core muscles while activating your inner thighs to help realign your pelvis. Dana Santas, CNN, 19 Aug. 2022 The trendy online furniture website is considering selling more shares to strengthen its balance sheet. Charles Capel, Bloomberg.com, 18 Aug. 2022 Telcos should stay up to date with their personalization efforts and consider expanding their budget allocation for gamification to strengthen any weak links in the customer experience. Pramod Konandur Prabhakar, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022 See More
Kim Tong-hyung, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Sep. 2022 After making a handful of investments over the years to test their theses, Nigeria’s venture capitalists are raising follow-on funds to strengthen their portfolios for an evolving economic climate. Alexander Onukwue, Quartz, 31 Aug. 2022 However Khan appears to have leveraged his ouster to strengthen his base of popular support. Susannah George, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2022 Some human rights advocates, who have lobbied the Pentagon for years to strengthen its policies and practices to prevent civilian harm, praised the plan’s scope and breadth. Eric Schmitt, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Aug. 2022 The president of Mexico also visited the area and military reinforcements were sent into Tijuana to strengthen security, according to NPR. Brieanna J. Frank, USA TODAY, 25 Aug. 2022 The seated bent-knee block hold demonstrated in this video works to strengthen low, deep core muscles while activating your inner thighs to help realign your pelvis. Dana Santas, CNN, 19 Aug. 2022 The trendy online furniture website is considering selling more shares to strengthen its balance sheet. Charles Capel, Bloomberg.com, 18 Aug. 2022 Telcos should stay up to date with their personalization efforts and consider expanding their budget allocation for gamification to strengthen any weak links in the customer experience. Pramod Konandur Prabhakar, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Kids Definition
strengthen
verb
strength·en ˈstreŋ-thən
strengthened; strengthening
: to make, grow, or become stronger or more powerful
Exercises will strengthen your muscles.
strengthen
verb
1
as in to harden
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
Relevance
- harden
- fortify
- energize
- toughen
- temper
- invigorate
- vitalize
- restrengthen
- anneal
- beef (up)
- firm (up)
- tone (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- weaken
- hurt
- impair
- cripple
- paralyze
- injure
- harm
- undermine
- debilitate
- damage
- enfeeble
- enervate
- incapacitate
- undercut
- break down
- wear out
- sap
2
as in to fortify
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
- fortify
- harden
- bolster
- adjust
- reinforce
- toughen
- inure
- steel
- adapt
- indurate
- brace
- boost
- support
- invigorate
- season
- vitalize
- acclimate
- enforce
- acclimatize
- temper
- immunize
- buttress
- anneal
- train
- condition
- reenforce
- accustom
- forearm
- break in
- habituate
- naturalize
- prop (up)
- limber (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- soften
- weaken
- emasculate
- exhaust
- sap
- cripple
- hamstring
- sensitize
- enfeeble
- incapacitate
- enervate
- debilitate
3
as in to enhance
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
- enhance
- deepen
- intensify
- heighten
- consolidate
- reinforce
- broaden
- boost
- amplify
- sharpen
- expand
- accentuate
- redouble
- augment
- lengthen
- magnify
- step up
- extend
- emphasize
- accelerate
- enforce
- maximize
- supplement
- hasten
- quicken
- enlarge
- beef (up)
- enliven
- restrengthen
- stress
- reenforce
- amp (up)
- exacerbate
- aggravate
- point (up)
- jazz (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- reduce
- weaken
- decrease
- moderate
- diminish
- abate
- lessen
- tone (down)
- subdue
- let up (on)
- recede
- alleviate
- subside
- wane
- lighten
- ease
- taper (off)
- dwindle
4
as in to brace
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
- fortify
- brace
- ready
- nerve
- reinforce
- bolster
- steel
- forearm
- poise
- arm
- enforce
- toughen
- sustain
- psych (up)
- encourage
- harden
- buttress
- embolden
- comfort
- inure
- inspire
- boost
- reenforce
- support
- hearten
- rouse
- season
- stir
- rally
- buoy (up)
- prop (up)
- cheer (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- shake
- discourage
- undermine
- weaken
- demoralize
- unnerve
- daunt
- soften
- dishearten
- psych (out)
- undercut
- debilitate
- enfeeble
- enervate
- dispirit
- sap
- tire
- prostrate
5
as in to stiffen
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe a bill was introduced to strengthen punishments for hate crimes Synonyms & Similar Words
- stiffen
- toughen
- harden
- harshen
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ease
- soften
- lessen
- ameliorate
- moderate
- lightings
- lightish
- lightkeeper
- lightkeepers
- lightless
- lightlessness
- lightlessnesses
- lightlier
- lightliest
- lightly
- lightness
- lightnesses
- lightning
- lightning arrester
- lightning bug
- lightning calculator
- lightning chess
- lightning conductor
- lightning never strikes (the same place) twice
- lightning never strikes the same place twice
- lightning never strikes twice
- lightning rod
- lightning rods
- lightning stone
- lightning storm