WordValereinforce
to strengthen or support
In more detail
1. (verb) to make something stronger or more effective by adding more support, material, or people
2. (verb) to make an idea or belief stronger by repeating it or showing proof of it
Examples
- 1. The bridge was reinforced with steel beams to handle heavier traffic.
- 2. The teacher's feedback reinforced the student's understanding of the topic.
How to use reinforce
Reinforce is used in both physical and abstract contexts—strengthening structures through added material or troops, and strengthening ideas through repetition and evidence. It is more formal and technical than strengthen, and often implies systematic or deliberate effort. The word commonly appears in psychology, construction, management, and communication contexts.
Common phrases
- reinforce a message
- reinforce walls
- reinforce behavior
- reinforce one's argument
- reinforce a team
- reinforce confidence
Synonyms
strengthen · bolster · fortify · consolidate · support
Opposites
weaken · undermine · diminish
Word family
reinforcement (noun) · reinforced (adjective) · reinforcing (adjective)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse reinforce with re-enforce (with a hyphen), which is historically correct but now considered archaic; modern English uses reinforce as one word.
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