Dictionary

reinforce en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˌɹiː.ɪnˈfoːs/ (Australia)
• (California) audio
• /ˌɹiː.ənˈfoːs/ (New-Zealand)
• /ˌɹiː.ɪnˈfɔːs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌɹi.ɪnˈfɔɹs/ (Canada, General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re-bor. Middle English re- English re- English inforce English reinforce From re- + inforce.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To strengthen, especially by addition or augmentation.
   • He reinforced the handle with a metal rod and a bit of tape.
   • [T]hey [the English] valiantly, and vvith the ſlaughter of many, put backe the enemy: vvhich vvas ſo farre from daunting the Normans, that by it they vvere more vvhetted to re-enforce themſelues vpon them: […] 1611, Iohn Speed [i.e., John Speed], “Harold the Second of that Name, the Sonne of Earle Goodwine, and Thirtie Eight Monarch of the Englishmen, […]”, in The History of Great Britaine under the Conquests of yͤ Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans. […], London: […] William Hall and John Beale, for John Sudbury and George Humble, […], →OCLC, book VIII ([The Danes] […]), paragraph 38, page 407, column 1:
2. (transitive) To emphasize or review.
   • The right homework will reinforce and complement the lesson!
   • The accident was also one of several since Clapham [...] that demonstrated the role of breakable windows in the death toll. RSSB research would later confirm and reinforce the need for laminated glass to protect passengers and increase survivability. 2021 February 24, Greg Morse, “Great Heck: a tragic chain of events”, in RAIL, number 925, page 42:
3. (transitive) To encourage (a behavior or idea) through repeated stimulus.
   • Advertising for fast food can reinforce unhealthy dietary tendencies.
   • Mr. Schlossberg’s rant angered activists for immigrant rights, who said it reinforced stereotypes that Spanish speakers are not citizens. And they worried that it perpetuated fear within immigrant communities of ICE’s aggressive tactics to deport those who are undocumented. 2018 May 22, Liz Robbins, Maya Salam, “‘I Am Not Racist’: Lawyer Issues Apology One Week After Rant”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 11 Apr 2023:

Forms

Deriveds

reinforcible · reinforcer · rereinforce · self-reinforcing · reinforceability · reinforceable · reinforcement · self-reinforce

Descendants

reenforçar · reinforçar

Synonyms

bolster (strengthen) · emphasize (emphasize) · buttress (strengthen) · learn (encourage) · augment (strengthen) · review (emphasize) · repeat (emphasize) · strengthen (strengthen) · encourage (encourage) · fortify (strengthen) · line (strengthen) · instruct (encourage) · teach (encourage) · reward (encourage)

Translations (84)

bg укрепвам (to strengthen by addition) · hu megszilárdít (to encourage) · cmn 再次鼓励 (to emphasize or review) · fi vahvistaa (to strengthen by addition) · nl vergroten (to strengthen by addition) · ko 보강하다 (to strengthen by addition) · fr renforcer (to emphasize or review) · de bekräftigen (to encourage) · ru уси́ливать (to emphasize or review) · ru подкрепи́ть (to strengthen by addition) · mi whakamarohi (to strengthen by addition) · cy cryfhau (to strengthen by addition) · bg подсилвам (to strengthen by addition) · tr takviye etmek (to strengthen by addition) · kk қатайту (to strengthen by addition) · fi vahvistaa (to emphasize or review) · nl versterken (to strengthen by addition) · gl reforzar (to strengthen by addition) · ja 補強する (to strengthen by addition) · tr tahkim etmek (to strengthen by addition) · es socalzar (to strengthen by addition) · de festigen (to emphasize or review) · fr renforcer (to strengthen by addition) · sv förstärka (to strengthen by addition) · it rinforzare (to strengthen by addition) · nl verhogen (to strengthen by addition) · mk за́цврсти (to emphasize or review) · fi tukea (to strengthen by addition) · hu erősít (to encourage) · de verstärken (to strengthen by addition) · ga treisigh (to strengthen by addition) · got 𐍄𐌿𐌻𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to strengthen by addition) · es reforzar (to emphasize or review) · tr pekiştirmek (to emphasize or review) · pt reforçar (to strengthen by addition) · gl reforzar (to emphasize or review) · hu merevít (to strengthen by addition) · hu felerősít (to encourage) · mk за́сили (to emphasize or review) · fa تقویت کردن (to strengthen by addition) · la corrōborō (to strengthen by addition) · fi kannustaa (to encourage) · de verstärken (to encourage) · it ribadire (to emphasize or review) · mk за́јакне (to strengthen by addition) · ka გამყარება (to strengthen by addition) · cmn 再次强调 (to emphasize or review) · tr sağlamlaştırmak (to strengthen by addition) · it incoraggiare (to encourage) · hu megerősít (to encourage) · ga neartaigh le (to strengthen by addition) · el ενισχύω (to strengthen by addition) · mi taunaki (to strengthen by addition) · tr kuvvetlendirmek (to strengthen by addition) · fi rohkaista (to encourage) · sv armera (to strengthen by addition) · fi tukea (to emphasize or review) · ru подкрепля́ть (to strengthen by addition) · mi whakakaha (to strengthen by addition) · ru уси́лить (to emphasize or review) · mk по́ткрепи (to strengthen by addition) · pt reforçar (to emphasize or review) · ru укрепля́ть (to strengthen by addition) · cmn 加強 /加强 (to strengthen by addition) · kk бекіту (to strengthen by addition) · kk күшейту (to strengthen by addition) · tr berkitmek (to strengthen by addition) · it rafforzare (to emphasize or review) · tr pekiştirmek (to strengthen by addition) · de versteifen (to strengthen by addition) · bg усилвам (to emphasize or review) · mi haukaha (to emphasize or review) · nl benadrukken (to emphasize or review) · ca reforçar (to strengthen by addition) · hu megerősít (to strengthen by addition) · mk по́ттикне (to encourage) · he חִזֵּק (to strengthen by addition) · ja 加強 (to strengthen by addition) · ar قَوَّى (to strengthen by addition) · de aussteifen (to strengthen by addition) · ru укрепи́ть (to strengthen by addition) · mk по́тсили (to strengthen by addition) · es reforzar (to strengthen by addition) · hu megszilárdít (to strengthen by addition)