Meaning & use
bolster
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To make something stronger or more likely to succeed by adding help, support or evidence.
Grammar: Always takes an object: bolster morale, bolster a claim.
Patterns
- bolster something
- bolster something with something
- bolster someone's confidence
The coach tried to bolster the players' confidence before the final.
New data bolstered her argument for a longer trial.
The shop hired extra staff to bolster its holiday service.
nouncountable
A long, firm cushion that lies across a bed, sofa or head of a bed to support the body.
Grammar: Countable: a bolster, two bolsters.
She rested her neck on a soft bolster while she read.
The sofa had a velvet bolster at each end.
He slid a bolster under his knees to ease his back.
Word forms
| third person singular | bolsters |
|---|---|
| past tense | bolstered |
| past participle | bolstered |
| -ing form | bolstering |
Common combinations
- bolster confidence
- A few early wins helped bolster the new manager's confidence.
- bolster support
- The mayor visited small towns to bolster support for the plan.
- bolster the economy
- Lower interest rates may bolster the economy this year.
- bolster a case
- The lawyer found two witnesses to bolster her case.
- bolster defenses
- The town built higher walls to bolster its defenses against floods.
Synonyms and how they differ
- strengthen
- Strengthen is the general word for making something stronger, while bolster stresses adding outside help to something already there.
- reinforce
- Reinforce suggests adding more of the same thing, such as troops or a wall, so it often feels more physical than bolster.
- boost
- Boost implies a quick lift in level or amount, whereas bolster implies steadier supporting.
Opposites
Word family
- bolstering noun
- the act of giving extra support
- bolstered adjective
- made stronger by extra support
Commonly confused: bolster or bolt?
bolster vs bolt
A bolt is a metal fastener or a sudden dash; bolster is about supporting something, though both start with bol-.
Practice
The company hired two engineers to ___ its research team.
Choose one answer.
Bolster means to strengthen with extra support, which fits adding engineers. Undermine and dismiss would weaken the team.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bolster”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.