reinforced
ree-in-FORST
/ˌriːɪnˈfɔːrst/
Strengthened or supported with additional material, energy, or force.
In engineering, it almost always refers to concrete that has steel bars (rebar) embedded inside it to increase its tensile strength.
The story behind the word. The word travels from the Latin 'fortis', meaning strong, through Old French as 'enforcer'. The prefix 're-' was added in English to denote doing it again or thoroughly, resulting in a word that literally means 'to make strong again'.
Word relationships
- strengthened: Strengthened is a general term, while reinforced implies adding a different material or element specifically to bolster weak points.
- fortified: Fortified is often used for military defenses or adding nutrients to food, whereas reinforced is used for structural materials.
- weakened: Weakened means made less strong or stable.
- unreinforced: Unreinforced refers to materials (like plain concrete) that lack internal structural supports.
Commonly confused with
- braced: Braced means supported from the outside with props or struts, while reinforced usually means strengthened from within.
Word family
- reinforce (verb): To strengthen with new materials or support.
- reinforcement (noun): The action of reinforcing, or the extra material used.
Collocations
- reinforced concrete
- reinforced steel
- reinforced plastic
- heavily reinforced
Example sentences
- "The foundation was constructed using reinforced concrete to prevent cracking under the weight of the tower." Modern construction
- "The bunker's reinforced walls were designed to withstand direct artillery impacts." Military fortifications
Memory hook
Think of 're-in-force' as putting a 'force' 'in' the material 'again' to make it double strong. Force added inside.
When not to use
Avoid using in contexts where something is simply repaired rather than structurally upgraded or strengthened.
Fun facts
- The invention of reinforced concrete in the mid-19th century by a French gardener named Joseph Monier—who wanted to make stronger flowerpots—completely revolutionized modern architecture.
Related words
Explore more words
reinforce, buttress, bolster, fortification, intensify, supplement
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.