English Reference
adjective · verb

reinforced

adj. · v.
US /ˌɹiɪnˈfɔɹst/ UK /ɹˌiːɪnfˈɔːst/ re·in·forced

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.made stronger by adding extra material, like steel inside concrete.

    adj.strengthened by the addition of extra material or structural supports to increase durability or load-bearing capacity.

    Simple

    The workers used reinforced concrete to build the bridge so it could carry heavy trucks.

    In context

    The architect specified reinforced steel beams for the foundation to ensure the skyscraper could withstand seismic activity in the region.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.gave extra support to an idea, feeling, or habit to make it stronger.

    v.the past tense of reinforce, meaning to provide additional support or evidence to a statement, belief, or behaviour.

    Simple

    The teacher's praise reinforced the student's desire to work hard in class.

    In context

    The latest quarterly data reinforced the board's suspicion that the current marketing strategy was no longer reaching the target demographic.

A decade of emergency funding reinforced the model, producing organisations well staffed to deliver services but thinly resourced for anything else.

Al Jazeera· 20 Aug 2026

Hesperosuchus had a longer, narrower snout, while Eosphorosuchus had a shorter and more heavily reinforced skull with stronger jaw muscles.

ScienceDaily· 30 Jul 2026

From reinforce + -ed.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated