reinforce
Americanverb (used with object)
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reinforces,
present (3rd person singular)
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reinforced,
past participle, past
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reinforcing
present participle
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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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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reinforcesimple
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reinforcessimple
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have reinforcedperfect
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has reinforcedperfect
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am reinforcingprogressive
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are reinforcingprogressive
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is reinforcingprogressive
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have been reinforcingperfect progressive
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has been reinforcingperfect progressive
Past
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reinforcedsimple
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had reinforcedperfect
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was reinforcingprogressive
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were reinforcingprogressive
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had been reinforcingperfect progressive
Future
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.
See Examples For:
In a blog post announcing ChatGPT for Teens, external, the firm said teenagers' use of AI "should come with protections that reflect their developmental stage, reinforce real-world relationships, and support healthy use over time".
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
These worrying landmarks reinforce a market perception that fixed-income investments are losing bets, a sentiment Hartnett summarizes as “Anything But Bonds.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
If it comes to that, Lauer’s done plenty in 11 appearances with the Dodgers to prove he can be an asset to a contending team looking to reinforce its pitching staff.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
They selected promising puppies and may sometimes have bred dogs with wild canids to reinforce particular characteristics.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026
The story also seemed to reinforce one of Camacho’s most strongly held convictions: “Don’t ever hang out with COs!” he said vehemently.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
“Today’s agreement illustrates our belief that copyright is a cornerstone of the film and television industry – and reinforces our commitment to protect creative content,” said MPA Chairman and Chief Executive Charles Rivkin.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
Furthermore, the discovery reinforces Rio Grande do Sul’s status as one of the world’s most important regions for the study of Triassic fauna.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026
She said: "The guga hunt is a centuries-old tradition which reinforces our unique communal identity and helps families keep ancient Gaelic customs alive and relevant in the modern world."
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
This reinforces the conclusion that it’s the approach itself that has lost touch, rather than the particular number of trading days that are incorporated into the moving average.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
Instead, it encourages and reinforces the cubs’ natural behaviors in seeking out their own food, water, and shelter.
From "Camp Panda" by Catherine Thimmesh
The dollar fell as retail-sales data reinforced the case for a Fed rate hold, not hike, next month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
In Kinshasa, preparations for a possible Bundibugyo response are intensifying, with surveillance and rapid-response capacity being reinforced at Maluku, the city's main entry point.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
“Creating the Care-Based Services Division reinforced our belief that public safety is strongest when care-based services and enforcement work together.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
The big move higher in the S&P 500 was likely reinforced by the negative-gamma positioning.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
And his suspicions have been reinforced, now that I have come out as the Mockingjay.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Portuguese PM Luis Montenegro said he was considering reinforcing border checks.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
“The Global 8000 aircraft continues to perform at the top of its category in the skies and in the order books, reinforcing our leadership in business aviation,” Chief Executive Eric Martel said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
Arsenal have had a busy transfer window as they prepare for the 2026-27 Women's Super League season, with Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle, Selina Cerci, Geraldine Reuteler and Lisa Baum all reinforcing Renee Slegers' squad.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
From building wind turbines to reinforcing power grids for rising demand from electric cars, transitioning from fossil fuels to greener economies will require a massive increase in metal extraction.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
The upper story was plaster and timber with stone reinforcing the comers.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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.
