buttressing

verb

present participle of buttress
1
as in sustaining
to hold up or serve as a foundation for a brace buttressed the wall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in reinforcing
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) a mass of circumstantial evidence buttresses the prosecutor's case

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 buttressing Veteran starter Lucas Giolito joined the organization last week, buttressing a shallow rotation. — Dennis Lin, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026 The competition with China will hinge not on mimicking Beijing’s methods but on buttressing the core strengths of the United States. — Lael Brainard, Foreign Affairs, 10 Nov. 2025 Traffic among higher-income shoppers has grown, Kempczinski added, buttressing the company’s revenue. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2025 The upstream glaciers, now without their buttressing support, flow faster toward the sea. — Evan Howell, Quanta Magazine, 20 Oct. 2025 Any good Marxist can tell you that the ruling class of any nation will frequently make social concessions as a way of buttressing its brute political power with moral credibility. — Book Marks august 7, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buttressing
  1. sustaining
  2. reinforcing
  3. supporting
  4. bolstering
  5. carrying
  6. upholding
Verb
  • More than any position group, the Terps’ weakness right now is just sustaining success – for a full season or even a full 60 minutes in big games.
    — Noah Trister, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Ariana Grande will take the stage in London tonight in comfortable footwear rather than her signature heels after sustaining a minor injury.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of sustaining
Verb
  • At the center, a Geometric CNC Fuller visually reduces the mass of the blade while reinforcing Razorbill's distinctive multi-faceted character.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Michon will be tasked with expanding Messika’s retail footprint, reinforcing its organization and distribution, and accelerating brand-building across the region.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of reinforcing
Verb
  • The Moon trines your ruler Mercury in your sign, supporting careful edits, useful explanations, and conversations that stay on track.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 2 Sep. 2026
  • In a declaration supporting their complaint, Becker noted that California is mulling a bill, SB 813, that would establish a process where independent organizations would set baselines for AI safety standards.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of supporting
Verb
  • The county brought the team to continue bolstering A Home for All’s work.
    — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The World Bank has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into grants for modernizing the Syrian financial sector, restoring water access, and bolstering its healthcare system.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of bolstering
Verb
  • Washington claimed that the launchers were preparing to fire rockets carrying sea mines into the Hormuz Strait.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Two supertankers carrying Saudi oil were struck on Monday, undermining the White House’s claims that the Strait of Hormuz is safe for navigation.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of carrying
Verb
  • God has created and knows only the spiritual universe, in which divine law reigns and rules, upholding all that is good and true.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Banchi Hanuse works across film and radio as a co-founder of Nuxalk Radio, supporting Nuxalk language revitalization, upholding Nuxalk Nationhood and advocating for stewardship of Nuxalk homelands.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of upholding

Browse Nearby Words

buttresses
buttressing
butts
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Cite this Entry

“Buttressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttressing. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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