Synonyms

reinforce

American

[ree-in-fawrs, -fohrs] / ˌri ɪnˈfɔrs, -ˈfoʊrs /

Also reenforce,

verb (used with object)

to strengthen with some added piece, support, or material.

to reinforce a wall.
to strengthen (a military force) with additional personnel, ships, or aircraft.

to reinforce a garrison.
to strengthen; make more forcible or effective.

to reinforce efforts.
to augment; increase.

to reinforce a supply.
Psychology. to strengthen the probability of (a response to a given stimulus) by giving or withholding a reward.

noun

something that reinforces.
a metal band on the rear part of the bore of a gun, where the explosion occurs.

reinforce British

/ ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs /

verb

to give added strength or support to
to give added emphasis to; stress, support, or increase

his rudeness reinforced my determination
to give added support to (a military force) by providing more men, supplies, etc
psychol to reward an action or response of (a human or animal) so that it becomes more likely to occur again

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of reinforce

First recorded in 1590–1600; re- + inforce, alteration of enforce

Explanation

To reinforce means to make stronger. You can reinforce your roof by putting some extra supports under it. Besides a physical structure, there are many things you can reinforce. If you want to reinforce a message, you can say it louder, rephrase and repeat it or give examples of what you expect. You use dog biscuits to reinforce certain behaviors in your dog. Bad experiences will reinforce your fears, good ones your hopes. And when military leaders reinforce their troops, they send additional soldiers to the front.

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Vocabulary lists containing reinforce

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But like Ko Kaung, he's facing considerable odds: the military has been attempting to reinforce its positions around him too, some 400 soldiers headed his way.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

And we have launched a national billboard campaign to reinforce our messaging and outreach.

From Salon • Jun. 8, 2026

With the offer, Intesa aims to reinforce its position as Italy’s biggest bank and create the second-biggest eurozone bank by market value, it said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

"This detection should not cause panic, but it should reinforce the importance of awareness."

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

Giant “rogue waves” can overtake and reinforce each other, and often come in groups of three.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023