strengthening 1 of 3

adjective

as in reviving

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strengthening

2 of 3

noun

as in increase

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Dissimilar Words

strengthening

3 of 3

verb

present participle of strengthen
1
as in hardening
to increase the ability of (as a muscle) to exert physical force lifting weights every day will eventually strengthen your muscles the army makes new recruits run for miles in order to strengthen them

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2
as in fortifying
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure required weeks of physical therapy to strengthen his arm enough to pitch for the team again

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3
as in deepening
to make markedly greater in measure or degree encouraged the boarding school students to strengthen their ties with the community by doing public service

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4
as in bracing
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally strengthened herself for the moment she'd have to tell her friend that she had lost the borrowed necklace

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5
as in stiffening
to make more harsh, uncompromising, or severe a bill was introduced to strengthen punishments for hate crimes

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of strengthening
Noun
Behind that score is a gradual strengthening of national cyber systems. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 June 2026 The strengthening of El Niño and record-high worldwide ocean temperatures could be amplifying the heat, too. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 1 July 2026 Some strengthening was expected Wednesday night with a weakening trend on Thursday, the hurricane center said. — ABC News, 1 July 2026 Further strengthening is expected due to highly favorable ocean and atmospheric conditions, including high ocean heat and low wind shear. — Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026 Scientists warn a strengthening El Niño could intensify ocean warming and strain marine ecosystems. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 July 2026 According to the Department of Transportation, the project also includes superstructure strengthening. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026 Trish and Dan Bell Chapel The Trish and Dan Bell Chapel will serve as a gathering place for worship, contemplation and spiritual strengthening at FIU. — Florida International University, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026 SheaMoisture’s Raw Shea Butter Deep Moisturizing Detangler combines the brand’s signature ingredient, shea butter (famed for its ability to lock in hydration), with vitamin-rich sea kelp and strengthening, shine-imparting argan oil. — Eden Stuart, Glamour, 7 July 2026
Verb
Yes, rucking can improve posture by strengthening the upper back, shoulders and core muscles that hold your spine upright. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026 There are many claims about what the Japanese towel roll stretch does, such as correcting posture, aligning the spine, strengthening the core, and promoting weight loss. — Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 24 June 2026 The question is no longer whether private capital can play a meaningful role in strengthening national security. — Marc Andersen, Fortune, 30 June 2026 Machine learning systems can identify suspicious patterns and behavioral anomalies in real time, strengthening both fraud prevention and member protection. — Ravi Gedela, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 At Versace, the CEO focused on steering a turnaround via strengthening the brand’s core categories (womenswear and menswear) by drilling down on house codes, with a keen focus on accessories and footwear. — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 24 June 2026 It's formulated with barrier-strengthening ceramides, moisturizing shea butter, gently exfoliating urea, and lactic acid. — Essence Wiley, InStyle, 24 June 2026 Following the lead of Irvine and Anaheim, county officials are strengthening lobbying regulations to create more transparency around efforts to sway decision-making in local government. — Claire Wang, Oc Register, 24 June 2026 Both trends increase demand for high-quality healthcare data, strengthening IQVIA's position as an indispensable partner to the pharmaceutical industry. — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strengthening
  1. conditioning
  2. increase
  3. hardening
  4. fortifying
  5. deepening
  6. bracing
  7. stiffening
  8. stimulating
Adjective
  • Cayenne owners will be able to track charging via their My Porsche app and are able to create pre-conditioning settings to meet their individual needs.
    — Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Dyson also claims that the Omega nourishing collection delivers up to 94 percent stronger hair, compared to using non-conditioning shampoo on straight hair.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Definition of conditioning
Noun
  • Hispanics or Latinos were the target of the biggest increase in racially or ethnically motivated hate crimes, according to the report.
    — Jazmin Alvarado, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • However, the report noted that much of this rise was due to an increase in the number of billionaires, not just three-comma club members getting richer.
    — Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 2 July 2026
Definition of increase
Verb
  • Residents are encouraged to continue taking preparedness steps, including maintaining defensible space, considering home-hardening improvements, signing up for emergency alerts and reviewing evacuation plans.
    — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
  • Candor, without the balance of Humility, Temperance, and Collaboration, risks hardening into rigidity, creating blind spots and stifling relationships.
    — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Definition of hardening
Verb
  • Formerly the Vice President of Global Brand and Marketing at Amazon, Cheever is now fortifying Pinterest’s position at the intersection of culture, commerce, and technology.
    — Slma Shelbayah, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • And the image of that postgame gathering became emblematic of the bond that’s fortifying this USMNT.
    — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 23 June 2026
Definition of fortifying
Verb
  • Trump later dropped it, but still threatened tariffs against those who opposed his grab — deepening the rift.
    — Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • Europe’s strategic periphery is not only integral to European security but is actively deepening transatlantic tensions and sharpening intra-European divisions.
    — Galip Dalay, Time, 7 July 2026
Definition of deepening
Verb
  • While the industry is bracing for news of Xbox layoffs, Sony decided to hop into the boiling pot first by announcing that PlayStation would no longer sell physical discs for its new games starting in 2028.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • Always making sure her boys balanced their royal duties with play, Diana had pre-teens Harry and William bracing themselves for a thrilling day at Britain's most popular amusement park, Thorpe Park, in 1993.
    — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026
Definition of bracing
Verb
  • Major media companies operating traditional linear networks have been under pressure in recent years amid stiffening competition from large tech rivals as programming migrates to streaming.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 18 June 2026
  • Volkswagen’s premium Audi brand has lost much of its luster in recent years, dragged down by trade tariffs, stiffening competition and a patchy electric-vehicle roster.
    — William Wilkes, Bloomberg, 8 June 2026
Definition of stiffening
Adjective
  • However, once the moon slips into Aquarius, the atmosphere takes on a more cerebral, independent and mentally stimulating vibe.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026
  • Instead, the stimulating ingredient added to the product is causing the symptoms.
    — Sara Hoffman, Verywell Health, 29 June 2026
Definition of stimulating

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Strengthening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strengthening. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on strengthening

Nglish: Translation of strengthening for Spanish Speakers

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