reinforce
Americanverb (used with object)
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to strengthen with some added piece, support, or material.
to reinforce a wall.
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to strengthen (a military force) with additional personnel, ships, or aircraft.
to reinforce a garrison.
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to strengthen; make more forcible or effective.
to reinforce efforts.
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to augment; increase.
to reinforce a supply.
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Psychology. to strengthen the probability of (a response to a given stimulus) by giving or withholding a reward.
noun
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something that reinforces.
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a metal band on the rear part of the bore of a gun, where the explosion occurs.
verb
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to give added strength or support to
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to give added emphasis to; stress, support, or increase
his rudeness reinforced my determination
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to give added support to (a military force) by providing more men, supplies, etc
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psychol to reward an action or response of (a human or animal) so that it becomes more likely to occur again
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing reinforce
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 2
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The ACT: The Language of the Test, List 2
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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.
Massie spent several days before the election using Rep. Lauren Boebert—a Republican from Colorado—as a surrogate, hoping she could reinforce his credentials at a campaign rally, despite the president’s repeated attacks on him.
From Slate • May 19, 2026
But if Nvidia reports a second consecutive down quarter, it would reinforce the idea that the buybacks tailwind is weakening, not just for big tech but for the market as a whole.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
This time last year there was genuine debate about Bruno Fernandes and whether United would be better served accepting a huge offer from Al-Hilal and using the money to reinforce their squad.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
“Stronger job gains and steady unemployment reinforce the economic resilience narrative,” said Angelo Kouortkafsa, senior strategist at Edward Jones.
From MarketWatch • May 9, 2026
Wives uncoddled their husbands; there seemed no further need to reinforce their vanity.
From "Sula" by Toni Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
