reinforce

English

Etymology

re- +‎ inforce

Pronunciation

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔː(r)s

Verb

reinforce (third-person singular simple present reinforces, present participle reinforcing, simple past and past participle reinforced)

1. (transitive) To strengthen, especially by addition or augmentation.

   He reinforced the handle with a metal rod and a bit of tape.

2. (transitive) To emphasize or review.

   The right homework will reinforce and complement the lesson!

3. (transitive) To encourage a behavior or idea through repeated stimulus.

   Advertising for fast food can reinforce unhealthy dietary tendencies.

Synonyms

• re-enforce
• reenforce
• (strengthen): strengthen, augment, fortify, buttress, bolster, line
• (emphasize): emphasize, review, repeat
• (encourage): encourage, reward, instruct, teach, learn

Translations

to strengthen by addition

• Arabic: قوى (ar) (qáwwā)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 加強 (cmn), 加强 (cmn) (jiāqiáng)

• Dutch: versterken (nl), vergroten, verhogen
• Finnish: vahvistaa (fi)
• French: renforcer (fr)
• Georgian: გამყარება (ka) (gamqareba)
• German: verstärken (de)
• Greek: ενισχύω (el) (enischýo)
• Irish: neartaigh (ga), treisigh (ga)

• Italian: rinforzare (it)
• Japanese: 補強する (ja) (ほきょうする, hokyō suru)
• Korean: 보강하다 (ko) (bogang-hada)
• Latin: corrōborō (la)
• Portuguese: reforçar (pt)
• Russian: подкреплять (ru) (podkrepljátʹ) impf., подкрепить (ru) (podkrepítʹ) pf., укреплять (ru) (ukrepljátʹ) impf., укрепить (ru) (ukrepítʹ) pf.
• Spanish: reforzar (es)
• Swedish: förstärka (sv), armera (sv)

to emphasize or review

• Dutch: benadrukken (nl)
• Finnish: vahvistaa (fi)

• French: renforcer (fr)
• Russian: усиливать (ru) (usílivatʹ) impf., усилить (ru) (usílitʹ) pf.