strengthen
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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strengthenernoun
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overstrengthenverb
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restrengthenverb
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prestrengthenverb (used with object)
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unstrengthenedadjective
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unstrengtheningadjective
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strengtheninglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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strengthensimple
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strengthenssimple
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have strengthenedperfect
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has strengthenedperfect
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am strengtheningprogressive
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are strengtheningprogressive
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is strengtheningprogressive
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have been strengtheningperfect progressive
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has been strengtheningperfect progressive
Past
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strengthenedsimple
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had strengthenedperfect
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was strengtheningprogressive
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were strengtheningprogressive
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had been strengtheningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of strengthen
First recorded in 1250–1300, strengthen is from the Middle English word strengthnen. See strength, -en 1
Explanation
To strengthen is to make something stronger! Rarr. You can strengthen your muscles by working out, or strengthen your brain by learning new words. Anytime you strengthen something, you're making it more resistant, vigorous, or tough. Taking vitamins can strengthen your immune system so you don't get sick. Lifting weights will strengthen your muscles. A powerful lock will strengthen a door. On computers, a reliable firewall will strengthen your virus protection. If something is weak, it needs to be strengthened. Congrats! You just strengthened your vocabulary by checking out this definition!
Vocabulary lists containing strengthen
President Obama's second inaugural address
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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.
See Examples For:
"Across government, we're also working with international partners, including the J7, to strengthen the global fight against antisemitism and stand up for Jewish communities wherever they face discrimination, abuse or violence," she added.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
If that were really the issue, the government could beef up the corps of asylum officers and strengthen the system.
From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026
New research from the University of California, Riverside suggests the change could strengthen powerful storms along the California coast while reducing snowfall over Greenland.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
"The shared objective is to strengthen the competitiveness of the sports car manufacturer and secure as many jobs as possible in the long term," the company said in a statement.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
For the rest of the season, Aimee worked with me to strengthen my performance on bars and to push my degree of difficulty and consistency in all my routines.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
The researchers say they still do not know exactly how APOE2 stabilizes the nuclear envelope and strengthens DNA repair.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
The acquisition of 80% of the share capital of Caruna Group strengthens the Spanish utility’s position in Finland, which it called “a market with high credit quality and a stable and attractive regulatory framework.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
"There is an ecosystem that's conducive to the emergence of entrepreneurs like us. That strengthens our confidence in the outlook," said Yattabare, who now hopes to conquer the European market.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
On Sunday, as the wind strengthens, temperatures will be a few degrees lower still in England and Wales - but could still reach 30C in southern England.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
For the student, music not only strengthens emotional and cognitive development, but also allows a new outlet of expression, and a new means of learning through listening and making sound.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
The twisted light also strengthened the difference between the two enantiomers.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
For some, though, this only strengthened their resolve to monitor agents to make sure they didn’t kill others.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Tuesday’s gains were driven by renewed institutional demand, regulatory optimism and investors being forced to close earlier bets against bitcoin as the cryptocurrency strengthened, Zaye Capital Markets analyst Naeem Aslam said in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Storms begin to form and a strengthened Pacific jet stream is pulled from Canada down over the Southern U.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Therefore, efforts were made to keep the markets and streets free of offensive-smelling matter, and the laws holding homeowners responsible for cleaning up their property were strengthened.
From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy
“We are supercharging commercial space activity, slashing costs, and strengthening America’s competitive edge in this vital field,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
The strengthening El Niño is arriving on top of an oil-supply shock caused by the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
They lasted anywhere from two to 52 weeks and included strengthening exercises, aerobic activity, and mind-body approaches.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
Speaking to BBC Scotland News afterwards, John Swinney said they had a "very constructive meeting" on areas "of common purpose" such as the cost of living and strengthening the economy.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Because there was no snow, we pulled a four-wheeler with three sixteen-dog teams, strengthening them and training leaders, Corky watching from the windows as we ripped out of the kennel and into the trail system.
From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen
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.
