verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˌɹiː.ɪnˈfɔːs/
Canada, General-American:/ˌɹi.ɪnˈfɔɹs/
California:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian:/ˌɹiː.ɪnˈfoːs/
New-Zealand:/ˌɹiː.ənˈfoːs/
rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)s
homophone: reenforce
CMU ARPABET:R IY2 IH0 N F AO1 R S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To strengthen, especially by addition or augmentation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
He reinforced the handle with a metal rod and a bit of tape.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To emphasize or review.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The right homework will reinforce and complement the lesson!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To encourage (a behavior or idea) through repeated stimulus.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
Advertising for fast food can reinforce unhealthy dietary tendencies.
Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re-bor. Middle English re- English re- English inforce English reinforce From re- + inforce.
Across languages
Translations
84 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
قَوَّى
(qawwā)
— to strengthen by addition
Bulgarian:
подсилвам
(podsilvam)
— to strengthen by addition
Bulgarian:
укрепвам
(ukrepvam)
— to strengthen by addition
Catalan:
reforçar
— to strengthen by addition
Chinese Mandarin:
加強 /加强
(jiāqiáng)
— to strengthen by addition
Dutch:
versterken
— to strengthen by addition
Dutch:
vergroten
— to strengthen by addition
Dutch:
verhogen
— to strengthen by addition
Finnish:
vahvistaa
— to strengthen by addition
Finnish:
tukea
— to strengthen by addition
French:
renforcer
— to strengthen by addition
Galician:
reforzar
— to strengthen by addition
Georgian:
გამყარება
(gamq̇areba)
— to strengthen by addition
German:
verstärken
— to strengthen by addition
German:
aussteifen
— to strengthen by addition
German:
versteifen
— to strengthen by addition
Gothic:
𐍄𐌿𐌻𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽
(tulgjan)
— to strengthen by addition
Greek:
ενισχύω
(enischýo)
— to strengthen by addition
Hebrew:
חִזֵּק
(ẖizzéq)
— to strengthen by addition
Hungarian:
megerősít
— to strengthen by addition
Hungarian:
megszilárdít
— to strengthen by addition
Hungarian:
merevít
— to strengthen by addition
Irish:
neartaigh le
— to strengthen by addition
Irish:
treisigh
— to strengthen by addition
Italian:
rinforzare
— to strengthen by addition
Japanese:
補強する
(hokyō suru)
— to strengthen by addition
Japanese:
加強
(kakyō)
— to strengthen by addition
Kazakh:
қатайту
(qataitu)
— to strengthen by addition
Kazakh:
бекіту
(bekıtu)
— to strengthen by addition
Kazakh:
күшейту
(küşeitu)
— to strengthen by addition
Korean:
보강하다
(bogang-hada)
— to strengthen by addition
Latin:
corrōborō
— to strengthen by addition
Macedonian:
по́тсили
(pótsili)
— to strengthen by addition
Macedonian:
за́јакне
(zájakne)
— to strengthen by addition
Macedonian:
по́ткрепи
(pótkrepi)
— to strengthen by addition
Māori:
whakakaha
— to strengthen by addition
Māori:
taunaki
— to strengthen by addition
Māori:
whakamarohi
— to strengthen by addition
Persian:
تقویت کردن
(taqviyat kardan)
— to strengthen by addition
Portuguese:
reforçar
— to strengthen by addition
Russian:
подкрепля́ть
(podkrepljátʹ)
— to strengthen by addition
Russian:
подкрепи́ть
(podkrepítʹ)
— to strengthen by addition
Russian:
укрепля́ть
(ukrepljátʹ)
— to strengthen by addition
Russian:
укрепи́ть
(ukrepítʹ)
— to strengthen by addition
Spanish:
reforzar
— to strengthen by addition
Spanish:
socalzar
— to strengthen by addition
Swedish:
förstärka
— to strengthen by addition
Swedish:
armera
— to strengthen by addition
Turkish:
sağlamlaştırmak
— to strengthen by addition
Turkish:
kuvvetlendirmek
— to strengthen by addition
Turkish:
takviye etmek
— to strengthen by addition
Turkish:
tahkim etmek
— to strengthen by addition
Turkish:
pekiştirmek
— to strengthen by addition
Turkish:
berkitmek
— to strengthen by addition
Welsh:
cryfhau
— to strengthen by addition
Bulgarian:
усилвам
(usilvam)
— to emphasize or review
Chinese Mandarin:
再次鼓励
— to emphasize or review
Chinese Mandarin:
再次强调
— to emphasize or review
Dutch:
benadrukken
— to emphasize or review
Finnish:
vahvistaa
— to emphasize or review
Finnish:
tukea
— to emphasize or review
French:
renforcer
— to emphasize or review
Galician:
reforzar
— to emphasize or review
German:
festigen
— to emphasize or review
Italian:
rafforzare
— to emphasize or review
Italian:
ribadire
— to emphasize or review
Macedonian:
за́цврсти
(zácvrsti)
— to emphasize or review
Macedonian:
за́сили
(zásili)
— to emphasize or review
Māori:
haukaha
— to emphasize or review
Portuguese:
reforçar
— to emphasize or review
Russian:
уси́ливать
(usílivatʹ)
— to emphasize or review
Russian:
уси́лить
(usílitʹ)
— to emphasize or review
