buttress 1 of 2

1
as in anchor
something or someone to which one looks for support the mother had always been the buttress of our family in trying times

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2

buttress

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to sustain
to hold up or serve as a foundation for a brace buttressed the wall

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2
as in to reinforce
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) a mass of circumstantial evidence buttresses the prosecutor's case

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of buttress
Noun
In the best-case scenario, lower rates would help buttress rising prices that are expected to come from the levies. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 20 Mar. 2025 Ice shelves like Amery act as buttresses, slowing the flow of glaciers into the sea, and playing a crucial role in stabilizing the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
That vision was buttressed by the promise of staggering city subsidies. Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2025 Orwell’s sense of himself as a man and an artist was buttressed not just by her work, but by his power over her. Anna Funder, Time, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for buttress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buttress
Noun
  • One of the most striking parts of the show is the Kells' home, the Cliff House, a sprawling mansion with a massive anchor sunken into the front of the house.
    Jordana Comiter, People.com, 24 May 2025
  • On Wednesday, May 21, morning news anchor Olivia Jaquith opened her live, three-hour telecast with some exciting news about her incoming baby, who was already two days past his due date.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Fans share outpouring of support after Sundae's cancer diagnosis As Sundae's fame grew, Gamble shared other things about their life together, eventually giving fans a glimpse of the lab's two-year battle with cancer.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 26 May 2025
  • Baltimore Sun The vast majority of Marylanders criminally charged – 32 of 46 – come from strong Democratic urban and suburban counties, according to election data analyzed by CNS, not from largely rural countries where Trump support is the strongest.
    Ariel Sheinberg, Baltimore Sun, 26 May 2025
Verb
  • The Waterbury Police Department responded to a report of a fight involving a group of men in the road in the 600 block of South Main Street shortly after 9 p.m. Two male victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to a local hospital.
    Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2025
  • Foundations and individuals that once focused solely on infrastructure or scholarship are now looking to sustain the principles that make education possible: academic freedom, equal access, and legal independence.
    Michelle Mbekeani, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Verb
  • That reinforces the original (or last) experience the customer had with you.
    Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
  • As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 25 May 2025
Noun
  • While education and health have long been pillars of their work, sustainability is a newer, but increasingly vital, focus for the Foundation.
    Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • Durability and dominance are the twin pillars of pitching greatness.
    Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • Some others who just missed the cut in February signed on for worlds in hopes of of bolstering their cases when U.S. general manager Bill Guerin makes his final roster decisions for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
    Carol Schram, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
  • With the top 10 generating over $8.4 million, a shade under last week’s total, the Korean box office maintained solid momentum heading into the final days of May, bolstered by a mix of major franchise fare and reliable local hits.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 May 2025
Noun
  • Together, these technologies are forming the backbone of the modern smart city.
    Hemanth Volikatla, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
  • Small businesses, the backbone of the economy, are bearing the brunt of these actions.
    Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • The squad saw few reinforcements ahead of the 2025 season, with two players signed on free transfers, one joining through the MLS SuperDraft and another on loan.
    Jeff Rueter, New York Times, 27 May 2025
  • The local fire and rescue services dispatched 55 vehicles and 232 personnel to the scene, while the Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched a working group and rescue reinforcements, the ministry said in a statement.
    Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 27 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Buttress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttress. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

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