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View synonyms for

bolster

[ bohl-ster ]

noun

  1. a long, often cylindrical, cushion or pillow for a bed, sofa, etc.
  2. anything resembling this in form or in use as a support.
  3. any pillow, cushion, or pad.
  4. Nautical.
    1. Also called bolster plate. a circular casting on the side of a vessel, through which an anchor chain passes.
    2. a timber used as a temporary support.
    3. a beam for holding lines or rigging without chafing.
    4. a bag filled with buoyant material, fitted into a small boat.
  5. Metalworking. an anvillike support for the lower die of a drop forge.
  6. Masonry.
    1. a timber or the like connecting two ribs of a centering.
    2. a chisel with a blade splayed toward the edge, used for cutting bricks.
  7. Carpentry. a horizontal timber on a post for lessening the free span of a beam.
  8. a structural member on which one end of a bridge truss rests.


verb (used with object)

  1. to support with or as with a pillow or cushion.
  2. to add to, support, strengthen, or uphold (sometimes followed by up ):

    They bolstered their morale by singing.

    He bolstered up his claim with new evidence.

    Synonyms: , , , ,

bolster

/ ˈəʊə /

verb

  1. often foll by up to support or reinforce; strengthen

    to bolster morale

  2. to prop up with a pillow or cushion
  3. to add padding to

    to bolster a dress

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a long narrow pillow or cushion
  2. any pad or padded support
  3. architect a short horizontal length of timber fixed to the top of a post to increase the bearing area and reduce the span of the supported beam
  4. a cold chisel having a broad blade splayed towards the cutting edge, used for cutting stone slabs, etc
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈDZٱԲ, nounadjective
  • ˈDZٱ, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • DZ·ٱ· noun
  • ܲ·DZ·ٱ verb (used with object)
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Word History and Origins

Origin of bolster1

First recorded before 1000; Middle English bolstre (noun), Old English bolster; cognate with Old Norse bolstr, Dutch bolster, German Polster
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Word History and Origins

Origin of bolster1

Old English bolster ; related to Old Norse bolstr , Old High German bolstar , Dutch bulster
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Synonym Study

See cushion.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

When Eluned Morgan took over as Welsh Labour leader last year a couple of her colleagues suggested to me that she might need a "row" – concocted or otherwise - with UK Labour to bolster her position.

From

The county has taken several steps to try and prevent abuse, Davenport has said, including bolstering the vetting of foster parents and probation staffers and winding down the use of group homes.

From

The prosecutor suggested he had inflicted them himself with a serrated steak knife to bolster his story that Sardinha had attacked him.

From

Taking a look at each of the six players the Rams selected in the 2025 draft as they look to bolster their Super Bowl aspirations.

From

They also asked that the campus bolster protections for international students by providing pro bono legal support for students facing visa revocations and expunging student records of protest-related conduct charges.

From

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