reinforce
verb OPAL W
/ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs/
/ˌriːɪnˈfɔːrs/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they reinforce | /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs/ /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːrs/ |
| he / she / it reinforces | /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːsɪz/ /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːrsɪz/ |
| past simple reinforced | /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːst/ /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːrst/ |
| past participle reinforced | /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːst/ /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːrst/ |
| -ing form reinforcing | /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːsɪŋ/ /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːrsɪŋ/ |
- reinforce something to make a feeling, an idea, etc. stronger
- The experience reinforced my sense of loss.
- Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes.
- The climate of political confusion has only reinforced the country's economic decline.
- Success in the talks will reinforce his reputation as an international statesman.
Extra Examples- All this simply reinforces my earlier point.
- Our prejudices are subtly reinforced in many different ways.
- This report strongly reinforces the view that the system must be changed.
- Violence and rejection by society are mutually reinforcing.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- greatly
- powerfully
- strongly
- …
- help (to)
- serve to
- tend to
- …
- reinforce something to make a structure or material stronger, especially by adding another material to it
- All buildings are now reinforced to withstand earthquakes.
- reinforced plastic/steel/concrete
- The door was built of oak, heavily reinforced with iron.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- heavily
- with
- reinforce something to send more people or equipment in order to make an army, etc. stronger
- The UN has undertaken to reinforce its military presence along the borders.
Word Originlate Middle English: from French renforcer, influenced by inforce, an obsolete spelling of enforce; the sense of providing military support is probably from Italian rinforzare.