reinforce
v.v. to make a feeling, an idea, or a physical object stronger. You use this when you add support to something so it is more likely to last or stay true.
v. to strengthen or support an existing structure, idea, or habit. Often used in psychological contexts to describe the strengthening of a response through reward or repetition.
The teacher uses praise to reinforce good behavior in the classroom.
The construction crew added steel beams to reinforce the old bridge before the heavy winter rains began.
The latest economic data serves to reinforce the central bank's argument that interest rates must remain elevated to combat persistent inflationary pressures.
From re- + inforce.
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object. It frequently collocations with abstract nouns like 'notion', 'belief', 'behavior', or 'stereotype'.
the walls were reinforced by concretethe walls were reinforced with concreteWhen describing the material used to make something stronger, 'with' is the standard preposition.