Meaning & use
reinforced
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“reinforced” is a form of “reinforce”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Made stronger by adding extra material or support.
Grammar: Usually comes before a noun: reinforced glass.
Patterns
- reinforced with something
The bridge was built with reinforced concrete.
She wore boots with reinforced toes.
The vault has a reinforced door.
verbtransitive
Past form of reinforce: made a belief, habit or idea stronger by giving more evidence or repeating it.
Grammar: Takes an object: the study reinforced the theory.
Patterns
- reinforce something
The new evidence reinforced her suspicion.
Teachers reinforced the lesson with a short quiz.
The ad reinforced his habit of buying coffee every morning.
verbtransitivemilitary
Past form of reinforce: sent extra soldiers or equipment to strengthen a military force.
Grammar: Takes an object: they reinforced the border.
Patterns
- reinforce something with something
The general reinforced the border with fresh troops.
Extra guards reinforced the gate before the visit.
The fort was reinforced just before the attack.
Word forms
| base form | reinforce |
|---|---|
| third person singular | reinforces |
| past participle | reinforced |
| -ing form | reinforcing |
Common combinations
- reinforced concrete
- The building is made of reinforced concrete.
- reinforced glass
- The shop windows are reinforced glass.
- reinforced steel
- The frame is reinforced steel.
- reinforced the idea
- The speaker reinforced the idea with a clear example.
- reinforced with
- The backpack is reinforced with extra stitching.
Synonyms and how they differ
- strengthened
- Strengthened is more general, while reinforced suggests adding something extra to something already there.
- fortified
- Fortified suggests protection against attack, while reinforced suggests extra support.
- bolstered
- Bolstered is often used for confidence or support, rather than structures.
- supported
- Supported can be passive and light, but reinforced implies extra strength added.
Opposites
Word family
- reinforce verb
- to make stronger
- reinforcement noun
- extra strength or extra troops
- reinforcements noun
- extra soldiers or helpers
- reinforcing adjective
- making something stronger
Commonly confused: reinforced or enforced?
reinforced vs enforced
Enforced means made to be obeyed, as in a rule, while reinforced means strengthened.
Practice
The engineers used ____ concrete so the tunnel could carry heavy trucks.
Choose one answer.
Reinforced concrete is concrete strengthened with steel. Enforced is for rules and the others have different meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “reinforced”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.