as in sturdy
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1
as in hardened
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fortified
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 intensified
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 braced
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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Recent Examples of strengthened
Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
When Mars and Venus are both in cazimi — activated by the sun in Capricorn — relationships may undergo a reset where intentions are clarified and commitments are either strengthened or redefined.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Palace have strengthened in attack in January after completing the club-record signing of forward Brennan Johnson.
—Elias Burke, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Botswana strengthened diplomatic ties with Moscow and invited Russian investors to cooperate on mining and mineral processing, part of efforts to combat plummeting revenues from its staple diamond mining industry.
—semafor.com, 5 Jan. 2026
These surveillance approaches would be further strengthened by requiring definitive laboratory diagnosis and definitive coding of syndromes before providers can bill to receive reimbursement.
—Deborah L. Birx, STAT, 5 Jan. 2026
Deadlines and contracts can be renegotiated, while personal bonds can be strengthened.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2026
With the city of Waterbury back on its feet, officials pledged Friday to fight for millions of dollars in federal funding to pay for the damage from a recent water main break and then upgrade the system so that it is strengthened for the future.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 3 Jan. 2026
Royal expert Hilary Fordwich shared Turner's view that William and Kate's bond has been strengthened after overcoming hardships together.
—Ashley Hume , Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 3 Jan. 2026
Verb
The dialogue between past and present will be strengthened further with the opening of the Jewish Academy in the Westend district.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for strengthened
Adjective
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With sturdy construction, ample shelf space, and glass doors, china cabinets are excellent for storing and displaying delicate china sets, trinkets, decorative plates, heirloom decor, and more.—
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Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
Verb
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Polls show that most Americans believe that lengthy prison terms, which are costly to taxpayers, should be reserved for violent and hardened repeat offenders.—
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Renowned for their fun shape yet tooth-cracking texture that hardened with each passing day in the dish, ribbon candy was often a holiday season staple for many households.—
Verb
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True happiness starts at home and is fortified by internal self-worth.—
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His presence fortified the trail’s grapevine, with both hikers and people who live in the small towns that line the AT sharing news of his movements.—
Verb
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Pockets of protests erupting across Iran over the past week have intensified pressure on a dysfunctional government struggling to manage a spiraling economic crisis.—
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The Justice Department has intensified efforts to investigate fraud in the state after a social media video shared by YouTuber Nick Shirley went viral right before New Year's Day.—
Verb
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While Glenn braced herself for backlash, the overwhelmingly positive reception felt like freedom.—
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Aisha braced in anticipation of her next question.—
Verb
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Michael Carroll’s son stiffened — a cold jolt running through him — when his shovel struck what looked like rags and bones in the basement on Halloween eve 2018.—
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Here, it is mated to a six-speed manual transmission, and the suspension has been stiffened a little for a sportier feel.—
Adjective
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Trump announced a toughened stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine on Monday, setting a 50-day deadline for Moscow to reach a ceasefire or face sanctions.—
Verb
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Google, Meta, Microsoft’s LinkedIn, and Elon Musk’s X have all delayed, adjusted, or flat-out refused to launch AI products because of the bloc’s laws.—
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What’s more, your defense adjusted, digging in its heels, getting to Northwestern’s running backs closer to the line of scrimmage so that the Wildcats gained only 28 yards on the ground in the second half after rushing for 102 in the first.—
Cite this Entry
“Strengthened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strengthened. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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