strengthened 1 of 2

adjective

as in sturdy

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strengthened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of strengthen
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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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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5
as in stiffened
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 strengthened
Adjective
The goal was not a finished piece of writing but a strengthened mind. — Dan Rockmore, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026 The foundations were welded and bolted to the strengthened deck, and the rotors themselves, fabricated with inner steel cores and composite shells, were then lifted by crane. — Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026 Arreola, who knew Jackson for more than 20 years, says his lasting legacy will live on in the young leaders shaped through Rainbow/PUSH and in the strengthened relationship between Latino and Black communities in Chicago. — Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
Her creative expression extended beyond the runway into cultural moments that further strengthened the brand’s presence in fashion. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026 Erdogan’s attempt to foster an Ottoman-style pan-Islamism appears to have accelerated liberalization rather than strengthened religious conformity. — Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026 Officials said the operation deterred criminal activity and strengthened coordination but released no before-and-after data showing whether drone traffic subsequently declined. — Armando Regil Velasco, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026 The first Chinese singer to appear on IFPI’s annual Global Digital Singles Chart, and the recipient of numerous accolades including Billboard’s Women in Music Global Force Award, Tia has steadily strengthened her international presence. — Billboard China, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026 Seminole County voters placed these protections in their Charter and recently strengthened them. — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026 The state has strengthened its regulations for nursing homes and assisted living facilities following the deadly fire at the Gabriel House in 2025 that killed 10 people in Fall River. — Kristina Rex, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 Isaias strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane with 120-mph winds Friday, threatening a late-day landfall near the Alabama-Florida line as crews raced to finish preparations. — Sophie Bates, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 That comparison strengthened confidence in the theoretical explanation. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strengthened
  1. sturdy
  2. hardened
  3. fortified
  4. intensified
  5. braced
  6. stiffened
  7. toughened
  8. adjusted
Adjective
  • The shoes balanced on a slender yet sturdy stiletto heel measuring around three inches.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The result has been sturdy economic growth, even as lower-income and even middle-income households have continued to struggle under stubborn inflation and declining earnings.
    — Rob Wile, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of sturdy
Verb
  • Now the companies that recover fastest treat a short, honest, imperfect first statement as more valuable than a polished one that arrives after the narrative has already hardened.
    — Ronn Torossian, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • But fair reporting has been the exception, and in the space left by our silence, speculation has hardened into something being treated as fact.
    — Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of hardened
Verb
  • Japan considers China's rapidly growing military activities in and around Japan, including in the Pacific Ocean, as a threat and has fortified its southwestern region with longer-range missiles and interceptors in recent years.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The group also fortified their compound and trained with guns in case the FBI or other law enforcement visited the property, according to the decision.
    — Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of fortified
Verb
  • The whispers about their similarities intensified on the announcement of the engagement of Crown Prince Hussein, son of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, to Rajwa in August 2022.
    — Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The deaths came as Indonesia intensified efforts to combat forest and land fires that have worsened this year as El Niño intensifies a prolonged dry season.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of intensified
Verb
  • Firefighters and paramedics braced the trench walls and freed the construction worker.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Republicans have braced for months for Democrats to retake the House.
    — Theodoric Meyer, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of braced
Verb
  • The Chiefs’ defense stiffened and Indy faced a fourth-and-8 from the 15-yard line.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
  • But after a quick touchdown drive to take a 34-27 lead, the Oregon defense stiffened, and closed out the win with back-to-back stops.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of stiffened
Adjective
  • But her thickened skin, along with her toughened reputation, felt supple now.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
  • 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.
    — Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 18 July 2025
Definition of toughened
Verb
  • However, there have been reports of orders having their delivery dates adjusted.
    — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Interestingly, the median list price for the drugs — also adjusted for inflation — rose 24% during that time, to $293,000.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of adjusted

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Cite this Entry

“Strengthened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strengthened. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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