strengthens

Strengthens is the third-person singular present tense of the verb strengthen. As a transitive verb, it means to cause something to become stronger or more resilient, or to make a system, structure, or condition more secure against loss or harm. It can also describe an increase in intensity, force, or effectiveness.

Etymology: The verb strengthen derives from the adjective strong, with the suffix -en forming verbs meaning to cause to become; it has roots in Old English strenghtian or strengian, with Middle English spellings such as strenghten. The modern form strengthened reflects the standard addition of -ed to form the past tense.

Usage and examples: In everyday prose, strengthen is used for physical, organizational, or abstract improvements: “The infrastructure project will strengthen national resilience.” “Vaccination strengthens immunity.” “The agreement strengthens the alliance.” Common collocations include strengthen bonds, strengthen the economy, strengthen defenses, and strengthen resolve. The passive voice—“was strengthened” or “has been strengthened”—is common in formal writing. In science and engineering, strengthen can describe material processing or retrofit work that increases load-bearing capacity.

Related forms: Related forms include strength (the noun for the degree of being strong), strengthening (the present participle or gerund), and strengthened (the past participle and adjective form). Strengthen is also contrasted with weaken, which conveys a reduction in strength.