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Bolster
To support; to strengthen or reinforce; to encourage
verb💡
Imagine This
The holster supports the gun close to the user, so he or she has easy and quick access to the weapon when needed.
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Sounds Like
BOHL-stur
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Looks Like
Holster — a leather pistol case carried around the waist or fixed to a saddle.
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Remember This
The verb sense of bolster comes from the noun bolster (a cushion or pillow). In everyday usage, you bolster something by providing additional support or encouragement (e.g., bolster morale, bolster defenses).
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Other Forms
bolsternoun
bolstersverb
bolsteredverb
bolsteringverb
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Connect With
support, reinforce, strengthen, buoy, buttress, shore up
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Note
Bolster is transitive: you bolster something or someone. Common collocations include bolster confidence, bolster the economy, bolster defenses.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The coach's pep talk bolstered the players' spirits.
- New evidence bolstered her argument in court.
Synonyms
supportreinforcestrengthenboostfortify
Antonyms
undermineweakendeplete
Etymology
From the noun bolster (a cushion or pillow), attested in Middle English; the exact origin of the noun is uncertain. The verb sense to strengthen derives from the cushion's function of support.
Mnemonic
BOLSTER stands for Boost Our Levels, Strength, Toughness, Endurance, Resolve.
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Levity
nounHumor or frivolity, especially in situations where seriousness is appropriate; a lightness of mood.
Imitation
nounThe act or result of copying someone or something; a thing that imitates or resembles another.
Incongruous
adjectiveNot in harmony with the surroundings; inappropriate or out of place.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Reinforce
verbTo strengthen or support something by adding resources, evidence, or encouragement; to make an argument, structure, or system more robust.
Abandon
verbTo give up completely, to desert or leave behind, or to relinquish a claim, plan, or responsibility.
Abate
verbTo decrease in amount or intensity; to reduce or end something.
Abolish
verbTo formally end or repeal a system, practice, or institution; to officially put an end to something established.
Abridge
verbTo shorten (a text, speech, or other work) by omitting parts; to condense.
Abscond
verbTo depart secretly or flee, especially to avoid detection or arrest.
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