Library / English Dictionary

STRENGTHEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Give a healthy elasticity to

Example:

Let's tone our muscles

Synonyms:

strengthen; tone; tone up

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "strengthen" is one way to...):

exercise; work out (do physical exercise)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Gain strength

Example:

His body strengthened

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "strengthen" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strengthen"):

consolidate (make firm or secure; strengthen)

proof (make resistant (to harm))

back (strengthen by providing with a back or backing)

sandbag (protect or strengthen with sandbags; stop up)

toughen (make tough or tougher)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Antonym:

weaken (become weaker)

Derivation:

strengthening (becoming stronger)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make strong or stronger

Example:

strengthen the relations between the two countries

Synonyms:

beef up; fortify; strengthen

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "strengthen" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Cause:

strengthen (gain strength)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "strengthen"):

vitalise; vitalize (make more lively or vigorous)

ruggedise; ruggedize (produce in a version designed to withstand rough usage)

substantiate (solidify, firm, or strengthen)

restrengthen (make strong again)

brace up; undergird (make secure underneath)

confirm (make more firm)

reenforce; reinforce (make stronger)

buttress (make stronger or defensible)

brace; stabilise; stabilize; steady (support or hold steady and make steadfast, with or as if with a brace)

batten (secure with battens)

batten; batten down; secure (furnish with battens)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Antonym:

weaken (lessen the strength of)

Derivation:

strengthener (a device designed to provide additional strength)

strengthening (the act of increasing the strength of something)

Credits

 Context examples: 

He felt strengthened by the memory of that.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The researchers were able to increase the material's fatigue life by up to 100 times by strengthening internal rod-like struts.

(Discovery may lead to osteoporosis treatment, National Science Foundation)

It strengthens the immune system, helps in the metabolism of sugars and organic acids, and displays a cholesterol-reducing effect in animals.

(DL-Alanine, NCI Thesaurus)

Now was the time for Mr. Frank Churchill to come among them; and the hope strengthened when it was understood that he had written to his new mother on the occasion.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Another circumstance strengthened and confirmed these feelings.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

All that night we sat together, our arms round each other, each strengthening each for the troubles that lay before us.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A metal cap designed to strengthen the end of an implement.

(Ferrule Device Component, NCI Thesaurus)

Band of fibrous tissue connecting bone to bone or cartilage to bone thereby supporting or strengthening a joint.

(Ligament, NCI Thesaurus)

The three goals of the AREA program are: to support meritorious research, to strengthen the research environment of the institution, and to expose students to research.

(Academic Research Enhancement Awards (Area), NCI Thesaurus)

At last he thought to himself, “I can eat salad, it will refresh and strengthen me.”

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)