| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | support, bolster |
| Synonyms: | back up, beef up, brace, build up, bulwark, carry, jack up, jazz up, prop, reinforce, shore, step up, strengthen, sustain, uphold |
| Antonyms: | let down, weaken |
| Main Entry: | brace |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | support |
| Synonyms: | bandage, bind, bolster, buttress, fasten, fortify, gird, hold up, prepare, prop, ready, reinforce, shove, steady, steel, strap, strengthen, support, tie, tighten, uphold |
| Antonyms: | let go, loosen, unfasten |
| Main Entry: | confirm |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | reinforce |
| Synonyms: | assure, buttress, clinch, establish, fix, fortify, invigorate, make firm, settle, strengthen |
| Notes: | corroborate is used in a narrower context, usually by way of providing support for testimony in a legal proceeding; confirm is to lend support to a much wider array of things |
| Antonyms: | contradict, deny, destroy, oppose, repudiate, void |
| Main Entry: | cushion |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | pad, protect from blow |
| Synonyms: | bolster, buttress, cradle, dampen, deaden, insulate, muffle, pillow, seclude, soften, stifle, support, suppress |
| Main Entry: | fortify |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make strong and secure; add to |
| Synonyms: | brace, build up, bulwark, buttress, charge up, consolidate, embattle, entrench, garrison, gird, prepare, prop, protect, punch up, ready, reinforce, secure, shore up, soup up, steel*, step up, strengthen, support |
| Antonyms: | decrease, hurt, injure, weaken |
| Main Entry: | gird |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | encircle; strengthen |
| Synonyms: | band, belt, bind, block, blockade, bolster, brace, buttress, cincture, circle, enclose, encompass, enfold, environ, fasten, fortify, girdle, hem in, make ready, pen, prepare, ready, reinforce, ring, round, secure, steel, support, surround |
| Antonyms: | let go, weaken |
| Main Entry: | harden |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make or become solid |
| Synonyms: | amalgamate, anneal, bake, brace, buttress, cake, calcify, callous, cement, close, clot, coagulate, compact, congeal, consolidate, contract, crystallize, curdle, densify, dry, firm, fix, fortify, fossilize, freeze, gird, indurate, jell, nerve, ossify, petrify, precipitate, press, reinforce, set, settle, solidify, starch, steel, stiffen, strengthen, temper, thicken, toughen, vitrify |
| Antonyms: | liquefy, melt, soften |
| Main Entry: | hold |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | support |
| Synonyms: | bear, bolster, brace, buttress, carry, lock, prop, shore up, shoulder, stay, sustain, take, underpin, uphold |
| Main Entry: | prop |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | hold up or lean against |
| Synonyms: | bear up, bolster, brace, buoy, buttress, carry, maintain, rest, set, shore, stand, stay, strengthen, support, sustain, truss, underprop, uphold |
| Antonyms: | drop, fall |