strengthen
Americanverb
Other Word Forms
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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Spelling Practice, Unit 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.
Ap Iorwerth said options could include a proposal to strengthen the road network using the old A40, and the so-called blue route which would involve upgrading an existing dual carriageway through the south of Newport.
From BBC • May 28, 2026
The company also said it has "since implemented additional measures to strengthen risk assessment, platform governance and user protection".
From Barron's • May 28, 2026
Stellantis will launch 11 new commercial vehicles by 2030 as part of a strategic plan to strengthen its sector position.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
Professor Ari Koskelainen says the idea is to strengthen the protective machinery inside affected cells.
From Science Daily • May 27, 2026
What if I relax this condition and strengthen that one?
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
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.
