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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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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are strengtheningprogressive
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am 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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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.
"We will continue to strengthen our safeguarding processes and keep patients and families informed as we work through our focused improvement plan."
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026
This action makes Vermont the third state, after Oregon and California, to strengthen prohibitions on the corporate practice of medicine since the start of last year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
Diversifying storage locations can help reduce concentration risk and strengthen operational resilience, he noted.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 16, 2026
They also provide what he describes as 'molecules of emotional health', small but meaningful moments of encouragement, attention, and understanding that help strengthen children's 'emotional immune systems'.
From Science Daily • Jun. 13, 2026
We had long suspected a clamp-down was coming, and the Congress decided that certain members needed to leave the country to strengthen the organization abroad in anticipation of the time it would be banned entirely.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
