Meaning

To give power, strength, or vigour to (oneself or someone, or to something); to strengthen..

Definitions by Sense

1. To give power, strength, or vigour to (oneself or someone, or to something); to strengthen.
2. To support (one's or someone's opinion, statement, etc.) by producing evidence, etc.; to confirm, to corroborate.
3. To increase the nutritional value of (food) by adding ingredients, especially minerals or vitamins.
4. To impart fortitude or moral strength to (someone or their determination, or something); to encourage.
5. To make (something) defensible against attack by hostile forces.
6. To make (something) structurally strong; to strengthen.
7. To increase the defences of (an army, soldiers, etc.), or put (it or them) in a defensive position.
8. To secure and strengthen (a place, its walls, etc.) by installing fortifications or other military works.

Example Sentences

[I]t [“oleum de costo”] fortifyeth yͤ ſtomack and Lyuer, it keepeth the hayre from fallyng of, & the head from horeneſſe [hoaryness], it cauſeth good colour, and ſauour in all the body.

[…] I preſum'd it vvill not be unvvelcome to Your Lordſhip, if I here fortifie the Speculations that have been or may be propos'd to explicate theſe things according to the Hypotheſis of the vveight of the Air, by vvhat vve tried to that purpoſe, among others, vvhen vve vvere making uſe of a Syringe in our Engine.

[T]hey admitted three thouſand into a ſhare of the Government; and thus fortified, became the cruelleſt Tyranny upon Record.

Nor must we here omit that great variety of arms with which Nature has differently fortified the bodies of several kinds of animals; such as claws, hoofs, horns, teeth, and tusks, a tail, a sting, a trunk, or a proboscis.

In the day I called, Thou [God] answeredst me; / Thou fortifiedst me with strength in my soul.

Thou [poverty] fortifiest the body, thou strengthenest the soul; and thanks to thee, this life to which the rich cling to as a rock, becomes as a skiff whose anchor death can part without awakening our despair.

And vnto that texte he wold haue made you a gloſe, that his father and he were one not in ſubſtaunce but in will. And that gloſe he would haue fortified and made ſomewhat ſemely with an other worde of Chriſt, […]

[I]t may ſerue for no ſmal iuſtification of the tranſlatour that he fortifyeth his tranſlation vvith the authority of ſuch an auncient manuſcript, vvritten aboue eleuen hundred yeares ago, […]

Word Forms

• fortifies
• fortifying
• fortified
• no-table-tags
• glossary
• fortify
• fortifiest
• fortifiedst
• fortifieth
• -

Synonyms for fortify

Antonyms for fortify

Related Words

When Should You Use Fortify?

Use fortify when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

Practice This Word

Frequently Asked Questions