reinforce

USAGE SUMMARY

'reinforce' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you need to strengthen or support something. For example: "We need to reinforce our efforts to reach our goal by the end of the month."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Some feminists pointed out that women suffer detriment to their careers when they change their names; that they signal their submission to their husbands, and reinforce to their children the idea that women are inferior to men.

The Guardian - Books

Turkey, meanwhile, has sent more fighter jets to reinforce an air base in the south-east of the country.

The Guardian

In fact, technocracy and populism reinforce each other: liberal elites become ever more distrustful of democracy; illiberal people seek to defy them.

The Guardian - Opinion

But the thousands of cases we can now access can reinforce international political will and practice in facing the crimes now being perpetrated in the Middle East and elsewhere".

The Guardian

Session 1: listen to people who don't just reinforce your own views.

The Guardian - Opinion

"The difference between us and [other organisations] is that we work to reinforce the population's skills so they can take control of their own development," said Niyonkuru, who was in Brussels this week to receive the foundation's prize.

The Guardian

It is important that the UK complies with the convention not least to reinforce our position when we ask other countries to respect human rights".

The Guardian

The documents, which include recently declassified cables from the Australian high commission, reinforce the view that Gukurahundi – a Shona word for the spring rains that sweep away dry season chaff - was closely associated with Mugabe's Zanu-PF party's efforts to eliminate opposition groups after independence in 1980.

The Guardian

The ThingLink resource can then be used next lesson as a starter activity, essay writing prompt, revision tool or visual trigger to reinforce learning – all of which students can access on their mobile devices.

The Guardian

Medical schools, still under the spell of Darwinism, wanted full corpses and skeletons to compare with the Anglo Saxon dead, so they might reinforce the fallacious orthodoxy that each race represented a distinct evolutionary phase.

The Guardian

It is one thing, after all, to reinforce the basic infrastructures that undergird the quality of urban life everywhere; quite another to propose saddling India's cities with expensive, untested technology at a time when reliable access to electricity, clean drinking water or safe sanitary facilities remain beyond reach for too many.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "reinforce", be specific about what you are strengthening or supporting. For example, instead of saying "We need to reinforce our efforts", specify "We need to reinforce our marketing efforts to increase sales."

Common error

Avoid using "reinforce" without a clear object. Saying "We need to reinforce" is less effective than specifying what needs reinforcement, such as "We need to reinforce our security protocols".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "reinforce" is as a transitive verb. It requires a direct object to complete its meaning, indicating what is being strengthened or supported. Ludwig AI validates this with numerous examples showing how "reinforce" is used in context.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "reinforce" is a transitive verb widely used to express the act of strengthening or supporting something. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and demonstrates its prevalence across various contexts, including news, business, and science. Alternatives like "strengthen" and "support" offer similar meanings, but "reinforce" specifically emphasizes making something more resilient. Remember to use "reinforce" with a clear object to avoid vagueness, and you'll effectively communicate the idea of making something stronger or more secure.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

strengthen

Emphasizes making something more robust or powerful.

support

Focuses on providing assistance or backing to maintain or improve something.

fortify

Suggests adding protection or defense to make something stronger.

augment

Highlights the addition of something to enhance or increase the effectiveness of something else.

bolster

Implies giving a boost or encouragement to improve confidence or strength.

enhance

Focuses on improving the quality or desirability of something.

underscore

Emphasizes the importance or significance of something.

emphasize

Highlights a particular aspect or point to make it more noticeable.

cement

Suggests solidifying or making a relationship or position more secure.

consolidate

Focuses on bringing together separate parts into a unified whole for greater strength.

FAQs

How to use "reinforce" in a sentence?

"Reinforce" is used to strengthen or support something. For example, "The new policies will "reinforce our commitment" to environmental sustainability".

What can I say instead of "reinforce"?

You can use alternatives like "strengthen", "support", or "augment" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "reinforce" or "re-enforce"?

"Reinforce" is the more common and accepted spelling. "Re-enforce" is an older variant, but "reinforce" is generally preferred in modern writing.

What's the difference between "reinforce" and "enhance"?

"Reinforce" implies strengthening something that already exists, while "enhance" suggests improving the quality or desirability of something. "Reinforce" focuses on stability; "enhance" focuses on improvement.