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.
Putin and Xi are set to discuss how to "further strengthen" Russia and China's strategic partnership and "exchange views on key international and regional issues", according to a Kremlin statement.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
That pattern appears to strengthen significantly with the emergence of the genus Homo.
From Science Daily • May 18, 2026
Liani also highlighted that ServiceNow’s recent acquisitions of cybersecurity companies Armis and Veza expand the company’s addressable market and strengthen its AI Control Tower offering.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
The crisis will reinforce these concerns and strengthen the case for restarting more nuclear reactors, accelerating offshore wind and solar and improving grid flexibility and storage.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026
Using a clear, clean, straight head voice rather than chest voice will help to avoid this, and will strengthen a child’s vocal musculature for a lifetime of excellent singing.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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.
