buttress
/ˈbʌtɹəs/
C1 · Advanced★★☆☆☆
Simple Meaning
a structure built against a wall to support it and make it stronger.
When to Use
📚Academic Writing⚙️Technical
Advanced — complex ideas, academic/professional
Examples in Conversation
“The old church needed a new buttress to keep the wall from falling.”
“His argument was weak, so he tried to buttress it with more facts.”
Learning Path
▶Full Definition
A brick or stone structure built against another structure to support it.
Related Words
Synonyms:
supportreinforcestrengthen
Antonyms:
weakenundermine
Word Family:
buttressedbuttressingbuttresses