bolster

1 of 2

noun

bol·​ster ˈbōl-stər How to pronounce bolster (audio)
1
: a long pillow or cushion
2
: a structural part designed to eliminate friction or provide support or bearing (see bearing sense 5)

bolster

2 of 2

verb

bolstered; bolstering ˈbōl-st(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce bolster (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to support with or as if with a bolster : reinforce
lay bolstered up in bed
extra men will bolster already augmented dock detailsStanley Levey
2
: to give a boost to
news that bolstered his spirits
bolsterer noun

Examples of bolster in a Sentence

Verb She came with me to bolster my confidence. a convincing argument that was bolstered by the speaker's reputation She is thinking of ways to bolster her career.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
And, government spending bolsters longer term growth through infrastructure investments. Christian Weller, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 Turn your head to one side and place your cheek on the bolster. Cory Martin, Verywell Health, 16 Oct. 2024
Verb
Experts also said the next two years could present opportunities to bolster trust in electoral processes. Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024 Lately, there have been a few positive developments for Upstart, which have bolstered its stock price growth; the biggest factor being the rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve. Trefis Team, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bolster 

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old English belg bag — more at belly

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1508, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bolster was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bolster

Cite this Entry

“Bolster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bolster. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

bolster

1 of 2 noun
bol·​ster ˈbōl-stər How to pronounce bolster (audio)
1
: a long pillow or cushion
2
: a structural part designed to eliminate friction or provide support

bolster

2 of 2 verb
bolstered; bolstering -st(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce bolster (audio)
: to support with or as if with a bolster
also : reinforce
came with me to bolster my spirits
bolsterer noun

Legal Definition

bolster

transitive verb
bol·​ster
ˈbōl-stər
: to use evidence usually improperly to give weight to (evidence already introduced)

More from Merriam-Webster on bolster

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!