reinforced concrete

American  

noun

1. concrete containing steel bars, strands, mesh, etc., to absorb tensile and shearing stresses.

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reinforced concrete British  

noun

1. concrete with steel bars, mesh, etc, embedded in it to enable it to withstand tensile and shear stresses

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Etymology

Origin of reinforced concrete

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Some visually appealing examples are known as shells, and these have traditionally been made from reinforced concrete.

From Science Daily • Dec. 5, 2025

That likely indicates that even though the US used multiple bombs, the Iranians used enough reinforced concrete to keep them from reaching the main hall and destroying the machinery inside.

From BBC • Jun. 25, 2025

The city will install reinforced concrete barriers and sandbags to shore up affected areas and stem the flow of toxins, according to the mayor’s office.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2025

Most, but not all, of Japan’s modern buildings are built to stronger, quake-resistant specifications, usually using reinforced concrete that tends to hold up well.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 3, 2024

It was at that time that they built a fortress of reinforced concrete over the faded tomb of José Arcadio, so that the corpse's smell of powder would not contaminate the waters.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez