Dictionary

reinforcement en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌɹiːɪnˈfoːsmənt/ (Australia)
• /ˌɹiɪnˈfoɹsmənt/ (Canada, General-American)
• /ˌɹiːɪnˈfɔːsmənt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌɹiːənˈfoːsmənt/ (New-Zealand)
• (Midwestern-US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re-bor. Middle English re- English re- English inforce English reinforce Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥tom Proto-Italic *-mentom Latin -mentum Old French -mentbor. Middle English -ment English -ment English reinforcement From reinforce + -ment.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) The act, process, or state of reinforcing or being reinforced.
   • If a journalist speaks for herself, let her say so. If something is true of "a few" or "some" or "many" or, even, "most" of us, then let her say that. It may cost a few extra modifiers, but it will prevent the unconscionable reinforcement of the myth that we are all alike. 1976 February 14, Thom Willenbecher, “Gremlins Inside The Press”, in Gay Community News, volume 3, number 33, page 5:
2. (countable) A thing that reinforces.
   • There's a website that can be a good learning reinforcement.
   • Tuchel had demanded energy, a finessing of the connections between his players, a reinforcement of the identity he has wanted to see emerge out of the autumn programme. It did not really happen. 2025 November 13, David Hytner, “Saka and Eze strikes sink Serbia as England maintain perfect World Cup qualifying record”, in The Guardian:
3. (countable, in-plural, uncountable) Additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action.
   • Send in the reinforcements!
4. (qualifier:behavioral psychology, uncountable) The process whereby a behavior with desirable consequences comes to be repeated.
5. (countable, uncountable) A small round white sticker placed around a punched hole in a piece of paper to prevent the binder's rings from tearing through the paper.

Forms

Deriveds

interreinforcement · vicarious reinforcement · ring reinforcement · reinforcement ring · self-reinforcement · negative reinforcement · positive reinforcement · reo · nonreinforcement · primary reinforcement · reinforcement room · reinforcement learning

Relateds

punishment · operant conditioning · classical conditioning

Translations (85)

nn forsterkningar (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · es refuerzo (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · bg утвърждение (behavioral psychology: process whereby a behavior with desirable consequences comes to be repeated) · tr imdat (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · hy ամրապնդում (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · ka გამაგრება (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · hu megerősítés (behavioral psychology: process whereby a behavior with desirable consequences comes to be repeated) · pt reforços (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · es refuerzo (thing that reinforces) · ka საჯარისო შენაერთის გაძლიერება (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · ru укрепле́ние (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · ga athneartú (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · es reforzamiento (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · ja 援兵 (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · gl reforzamento (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · hu megerősítő csapatok (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · ka საჯარისო შენაერთის შევსება (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · pl posiłki (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · fi vahvike (thing that reinforces) · gl reforzo (thing that reinforces) · fa تقویت (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · da støtte (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · de Verstärkung (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · ru усиле́ние (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · hu megerősítés (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · ca reforçament (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · da forstærkning (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · ka განმტკიცება (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · ca reforç (thing that reinforces) · de Verstärkung (thing that reinforces) · nl versterking (thing that reinforces) · nb forsterkning (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · pl wzmocnienie (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · fr renfort (thing that reinforces) · mk потсилу́вање (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · nn forsterkning (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · fi lujike (thing that reinforces) · bg подсилване (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · el ενδυνάμωση (thing that reinforces) · bg укрепване (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · hu segédcsapatok (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · es refuerzo (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · ota امداد (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · fi vahvistaminen (behavioral psychology: process whereby a behavior with desirable consequences comes to be repeated) · nb forsterkninger (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · mi ope whakahirihiri (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · mk засилу́вање (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · gl reforzamento (thing that reinforces) · ca reforç (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · it rinforzo (thing that reinforces) · pt reforço (thing that reinforces) · fi vahvistaminen (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · bg подкрепление (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · pl wzmocnienie (thing that reinforces) · ka დამატებითი აღჭურვილობით მომარაგება (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · sv förstärkning (thing that reinforces) · de Verstärkung (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · da forstærkning (behavioral psychology: process whereby a behavior with desirable consequences comes to be repeated) · fr renfort (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · da støtte (thing that reinforces) · fi vahvistukset (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · da forstærkning (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · fi apuvoimat (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · el ενίσχυση (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · gl reforzo (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · ru подкрепле́ние (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · hu erősítés (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · bg подкрепа (thing that reinforces) · hu utánpótlás (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · id bala bantuan (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · mi whaitaua (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · hy օգնական ուժեր (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · gl reforzamento (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · pt reforço (behavioral psychology: process whereby a behavior with desirable consequences comes to be repeated) · fr renforts (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · hu megerősödés (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · la supplēmentum (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · ru пополне́ние (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · pl wsparcie (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · pl wsparcie (thing that reinforces) · ka გაძლიერება (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced) · da forstærkning (thing that reinforces) · de Verstärkung (behavioral psychology: process whereby a behavior with desirable consequences comes to be repeated) · gl reforzo (in plural: additional troops or materiel sent to support a military action) · ka შევსება (act or state of reinforcing or being reinforced)