1
as in braces
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
Kelly fortified herself for the basketball tournament with a series of confidence-boosting exercises
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strengthens
to increase the ability of (as a muscle) to exert physical force
he downed another granola bar to fortify himself for the rest of the bike ride
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hardens
to make able to withstand physical hardship, strain, or exposure
bought lots of warm clothing to fortify ourselves against the cold
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fortifies
Excited yet anxious over the prospect of reconnecting with the man that got away, the pair fortifies themselves with cocktails and bubbly during a boozy dinner.
—
Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Justin Faulk immediately fortifies Detroit’s second defense pair next to Ben Chiarot.
—The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Adding keratin back into hair fortifies the strands ultimately yielding stronger, healthier hair.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
Trading for Vucevic fortifies Boston’s front court–and provides a valuable play-making skill set to complement Jaylen Brown in a season worthy of MVP consideration.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
That night, Pam fortifies herself with a few drinks and answers when the phone rings.
—Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 conservative majority regularly fortifies religious rights, but the justices have also been wary of expanding government officials’ exposure to damages in their individual capacities.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 10 Nov. 2025
Rice protein fortifies each strand to reduce breakage, while hyaluronic acid provides weightless hydration so hair stays soft without feeling heavy.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
Trying to stay ahead of the game, for Dick’s the acquisition of Foot Locker also fortifies relationships with Nike and Adidas, which still dominate global footwear sales, and gives Dick’s negotiating leverage.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Justin Faulk immediately fortifies Detroit’s second defense pair next to Ben Chiarot.
—The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Adding keratin back into hair fortifies the strands ultimately yielding stronger, healthier hair.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
Trading for Vucevic fortifies Boston’s front court–and provides a valuable play-making skill set to complement Jaylen Brown in a season worthy of MVP consideration.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
That night, Pam fortifies herself with a few drinks and answers when the phone rings.
—Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 conservative majority regularly fortifies religious rights, but the justices have also been wary of expanding government officials’ exposure to damages in their individual capacities.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 10 Nov. 2025
Rice protein fortifies each strand to reduce breakage, while hyaluronic acid provides weightless hydration so hair stays soft without feeling heavy.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
Trying to stay ahead of the game, for Dick’s the acquisition of Foot Locker also fortifies relationships with Nike and Adidas, which still dominate global footwear sales, and gives Dick’s negotiating leverage.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortifies
Verb
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Local officials were assessing the extent of the damage and impact — as the region braces for more possible tornadoes in the days ahead.—
Ben Noll,
Washington Post,
24 Apr. 2026
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While Silicon Valley braces for overnight layoffs, is China faring any better?—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Early delivery of warship strengthens fleet readiness The project is the second carrier availability to be completed on schedule or ahead of schedule from the Virginia shipyard.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Now, research strengthens an alternative theory that attributes the cooling to a violent cluster of volcanic eruptions.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The news comes as Japan readies to take the spotlight at this year’s market after being named the 2026 Country of Honor.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
15 Apr. 2026
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The worst possible time would be in two weeks, as the team readies for its first playoff series since 2019.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Antonio Express-News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fortifies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortifies. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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