English Explanatory Dictionary

strengthen

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To make strong or stronger; to add strength to; to increase the strength of; to fortify.
  2. To empower; to give moral strength to; to encourage; to enhearten.
  3. To augment; to improve; to intensify.
  4. To reinforce, to add to, to support (someone or something)
  5. To substantiate; to corroborate (a belief, argument, etc.)
  6. To grow strong or stronger.

Pronunciation

/ˈstɹɛŋ(k)θən/ /ˈstɹɛnθən/ [ˈstɹeɪŋ(k)θən] en-us-strengthen.ogg

Word forms

strengthen strengthens strengthening strengthened

Etymology

From rare Middle English strengthenen (14th c.), from earlier strengthen (12th c.), where -en is the infinitive ending. Probably the original form was reinterpreted as strength + -en around the time when the infinitive ending was being apocopated in late Middle English.

Synonyms

anneal brace build up confirm enstrengthen fortify harden intend indurate invigorate munite nerve nerve up reinforce roborate steel strength strengthen thicken

Antonyms

weaken atrophy debilitate enervate enfeeble

Related words

augment

Derived words

enstrengthen instrengthen nonstrengthened prestrengthen restrengthen strengthenable strengthener strengtheningly strengthening plaster strengthen up unstrengthened unstrengthening

Translations

Dutch: bezielen Dutch: tot leven wekken Dutch: versterken Finnish: vahvistaa Finnish: innostaa French: fortifier German: bestärken German: stärken Italian: animare Latin: animo Middle English: strengthen Serbo-Croatian: potàknuti Serbo-Croatian: osokòliti Spanish: animar Swahili: kuimarisha Turkish: yüreklendirmek
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