strengthen

strengthen, *invigorate, fortify, energize, reinforce can mean to make strong or stronger.

Strengthen is the most general term, applicable not only to persons or their physical, mental, or moral powers but also to things material or immaterial (as a structure, a system, an aggregation, or an influence); the word can connote increase either in force, energy, vigor, and power of resistance, or in intensity, authority, or effectiveness

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their friendship strengthened as they grew older

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exercise is necessary to strengthen the body

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opposition will only strengthen their belief

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his case was greatly strengthened by the newly discovered evidence

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the handle of the tool had been bound by ordinary picture wire, apparently to strengthen a fracture in the wood— Hynd

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impulses to submission strengthened by habits of obedience bred in the past— Dewey

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after a period of hoarse whispering, her voice changes its tone and strengthens— Hearn

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Invigorate is commonly used in reference to living things or of some power or activity of a living thing and is sometimes extended to things that have powers suggestive of life; it implies an increase in vigor or vitality or active or effective strength or force

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their minds and bodies were invigorated by exercise— Gibbon

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the series of Midwestern novels that followed shocked and invigorated American thought—5. R. L.

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the general run of Canadians are invigorated when our athletes win recognition in the United States— D. M. Fisher

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a passing priest heard of Kaldi's discovery and thought that he would try these invigorating berries since he was inclined to fall asleep during his prayers— Charles Cooper

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invigorating sea breezes

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Fortify, which primarily means to strengthen a town or city by defensive structures, in a more general sense means to strengthen against attack or stress of any sort

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a certain uneasiness had come upon her, and even fortified by food she could not bring herself to go— Boyle

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fortified himself with a stiff drink

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I have been fortified in my belief by the utterances of this Court from the time of Chief Justice Taney to the present day— Justice Holmes

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set up on a pedestal, fortified by the strongest bulwark in executive acts, those principles which we would abandon at our peril— Vannevar Bush

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the old-fashioned polemical sermon followed, fortified with texts and garnished with quotations in Greek— Brooks

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Energize implies a strengthening in the form of supplying the active power for working or for being ready for work and, therefore, is used of whatever can be roused into strong activity or infused with a desire to act

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the office of Inspector General was greatly improved, and energized, during the first administration of Mr. Pitt— Chalmers

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as between husband and wife, hers was definitely the stronger spirit. She was more highly energized, more industrious, more ambitious—5. H.Adams

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he energized the GardenSuburb ethos with a certain original talent and the vigor of a prolonged adolescence— Leavis

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Reinforce implies the making of what is weak stronger or of what is strong still stronger by or as if by an addition that stiffens and supports, and thereby adds effectiveness, powers of resistance, cogency, or durability

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reinforce concrete by embedding steel bars or mesh in it

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reinforce an argument by additional evidence

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reinforce a stocking at heel and toe

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the stimulus given by his dialectics to their keen and eager minds was supplemented and reinforced by the appeal to their admiration and love of his sweet and virile personality— Dickinson

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Maria's distrust returned, reinforced by resentment. Yet she said nothing— Hervey

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experience in Brazil seems to show that in mixed marriages the black element, if not reinforced, is absorbed by the white within a few generations— William Tate

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Analogous words: embolden, steel, nerve, *encourage, inspirit, hearten, cheer: *vitalize, activate: galvanize, quicken, stimulate (see PROVOKE): *intensify, heighten, aggravate

Antonyms: weaken

Contrasted words: enfeeble, debilitate, sap, undermine, cripple, disable (see WEAKEN): *discourage, dishearten, dispirit, deject: *unnerve, enervate, unman, emasculate