Definition

Noun: 1. The act of strengthening or supporting something, often by adding more people, supplies, or evidence: The primary meaning refers to making something stronger or more effective by providing additional resources or compelling information. 2. (Military) Additional troops, equipment, or supplies sent to support a military force: A specific application where the word denotes the personnel or matériel sent to aid an existing unit.

Usage Examples

• General Usage (Strengthening with Information):
  • The lawyer's closing argument served as powerful reenforcement for her client's innocence.
  • His detailed research provided the necessary reenforcement for the new theory.
• Military Usage:
  • The general requested reenforcement for the beleaguered front line.
  • The arrival of reenforcement boosted the morale of the defending soldiers.

Advanced Usage

• "In need of reenforcement": Describing a situation, argument, or position that requires additional support to be viable or credible.
  • His claim was interesting but in desperate need of reenforcement from empirical data.
• "To act as a reenforcement": To serve the function of strengthening or supporting.
  • The new study acts as a crucial reenforcement to the existing body of evidence.

Variants and Related Words

• Reinforcement (n): This is the far more common and standard modern spelling of the word. "Reenforcement" is an accepted but less frequent variant.
• Reinforce (v): To strengthen or support.
  • They needed to reinforce the dam before the storm.
• Reinforced (adj): Made stronger.
  • The bridge was built with reinforced concrete.

Synonyms

• Support: Assistance or backing.
• Strengthening: The act of making stronger.
• Bolstering: Providing support to make something stronger or more stable.
• Augmentation: The action of making something greater by adding to it.

Notes on Usage

• The word "reenforcement" is a valid but less common variant of the standard spelling "reinforcement". In most modern contexts, especially formal writing, "reinforcement" is preferred.
• The word can be used in both concrete contexts (like military troops) and abstract contexts (like supporting an argument).

Noun

1. a military operation (often involving new supplies of men and materiel) to strengthen a military force or aid in the performance of its mission
   • they called for artillery support
2. information that makes more forcible or convincing
   • his gestures provided eloquent reinforcement for his complaints