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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in support
a structure that holds up or serves as a foundation for something else
after the wall collapsed, the construction company agreed to rebuild it with a buttress
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of buttress
Stefanie Waldek, Architectural Digest, 9 Jan. 2026
At a number of events on Tuesday, senior officials made a case for gas as essential for energy security and a buttress to renewables.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026
Agency plans to buy and rehab additional homes The funding will buttress two of the nonprofit’s homeownership initiatives — the Acts Homes acquisition fund and Acts Lending loan fund.
—La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for buttress
Noun
Common traits include pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses, all of which enabled the structures to be built taller and stronger.
—Stefanie Waldek, Architectural Digest, 9 Jan. 2026
At a number of events on Tuesday, senior officials made a case for gas as essential for energy security and a buttress to renewables.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
That conversation was buttressed by one agency, Lacara, promoting Twinnin to unrepresented actors including the parents of those under the age of 18.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026
Agency plans to buy and rehab additional homes The funding will buttress two of the nonprofit’s homeownership initiatives — the Acts Homes acquisition fund and Acts Lending loan fund.
—La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for buttress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buttress
Noun
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Ava Sexton, senior, Southlake Carroll Sexton was the anchor of a historic Carroll defense, earning District 4-6A Defensive Player of the Year honors.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 May 2026
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Networks are encouraging talent to embrace the likes of TikTok and in some cases holding classes to teach anchors the nuances of talking to those audiences.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Noun
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The only other two candidates to get double-digit support were Bianco and Becerra.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
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Public First has spent four hundred and fifty thousand dollars in support of Bores.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Verb
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The suspect was hit, along with one bystander, a juvenile, who did not sustain life-threatening injuries and is receiving treatment at a hospital.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
5 May 2026
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Karen Diamond, 82, died on June 25 from injuries sustained in the attack.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Bias asks whether the system perpetuates, amplifies, or introduces systematic disadvantage, including through feedback loops where biased outputs reinforce biased inputs.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
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Officials stated the goal is to give drivers time to adjust and reinforce safe behavior around school buses.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
Noun
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In a Wednesday ruling, the Supreme Court weakened a key pillar of the Voting Rights Act, striking down a majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana and empowering officials to redraw state congressional maps.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
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For many Black Americans, the decision was a death knell for a cherished pillar of the Civil Rights Movement.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Those years of high draft picks have led to a roster with impressive high-end talent in its young core, and general manager Pat Verbeek added a slate of veteran signees to bolster it.—
Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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Orange juice – rich in vitamin C, potassium, folate and sometimes vitamin D – has solid nutritional benefits that can bolster your immune system and your skin health.—
Gavin Escott,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Some backbone and detail on issues such as water, immigration and the role of money in politics could help elevate the conversation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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Cotton is the backbone of Levi’s business.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The crumbling concrete on the balconies has allegedly left holes that expose reinforcement steel, leading to rust, corrosion, and water intrusion.—
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
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The system is trained end-to-end using reinforcement learning in simulation across diverse, randomized terrains.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buttress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttress. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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