Basic Details
Word: Reinforce
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To make something stronger by adding material, people or support.
Synonyms: strengthen, support, bolster, fortify
Antonyms: weaken, undermine
How to Spell Reinforce
Syllables: re - in - force
Tricky part: Read it as re + in + force. The ending is force with ce, not se, and students often lose the i in the middle and write renforce.
Watch out for: reinforse, renforce, reinfource
Memory tip: You put force back in to make a wall stronger: re + in + force, three small words in a row.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The builders used steel rods to reinforce the roof of the new hall.
Example 2: Writing the spellings out again will reinforce what you learnt today.
Example 3: Extra police were sent to reinforce the guards at the stadium.
Fun Fact
Reinforced concrete has steel bars buried inside it. Concrete is strong when squeezed but cracks when stretched, and the steel takes up the stretching.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Three words in the list are spelt correctly and one is misspelt. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word.
1. reinforse 2. enhance 3. enforce 4. endorse
a) to say publicly that you support something
b) to improve the quality of something
c) to make something stronger
d) to make people obey a rule
Show answer
c) to make something stronger. Force keeps its ce inside reinforce, exactly as it does in enforce.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word reinforce as used in the sentence:
Engineers had to reinforce the old railway bridge before heavier goods trains could use it.
a) strengthen
b) paint
c) demolish
d) weaken
Show answer
a) strengthen. Engineers make a bridge stronger before it takes more weight; weaken and demolish do the reverse.
Word Cookie
Choose the letters that complete the word:
r_inf_rce
a) a, o
b) e, o
c) i, o
d) e, a
Show answer
b) e, o. Say the three parts, re-in-force: the first gap is the e of re and the second the o of force.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Extra soldiers sent to reinforce an army are called ____.
a) retirees
b) reinforcements
c) prisoners
d) deserters
Show answer
b) reinforcements
2. A teacher who praises good work to reinforce it hopes the habit will ____.
a) stop at once
b) slowly fade
c) be forgotten
d) grow stronger
Show answer
d) grow stronger
