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Strengthen vs Enhance - What's the difference?

strengthen | enhance |

In intransitive terms the difference between strengthen and enhance

is that strengthen is to grow strong or stronger while enhance is to be raised up; to grow larger.

As verbs the difference between strengthen and enhance

is that strengthen is to make strong or stronger; to add strength to; to increase the strength of; to fortify; to reinforce while enhance is to lift, raise up.

strengthen

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (lb) To make strong or stronger; to add strength to; to increase the strength of; to fortify; to reinforce.
  • :
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest,/ With powerful policy strengthen themselves.
  • *1851 , Anonymous, Arthur Hamilton, and His Dog
  • *:A little hardship, and a little struggling with the rougher elements of life, will perchance but strengthen and increase his courage, and prepare him for the conflicts and struggles of after years.
  • (lb) To animate; to give moral strength to; to encourage; to fix in resolution; to hearten.
  • *(Bible), (w) iii. 28
  • *:Charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him.
  • *
  • *:"A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day. He is strengthening his forces now against Mr. Benton out there.."
  • (lb) To augment; to improve; to intensify.
  • (lb) To grow strong or stronger.

    • Antonyms

    * atrophy

    Derived terms

    * strengthener

    References

    * English ergative verbs

    enhance

    English

    Alternative forms

    * inhance * enhaunce * inhaunce

    Verb

    (enhanc)
  • (obsolete) To lift, raise up.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , I.i:
    • nought aghast, his mightie hand enhaunst : / The stroke down from her head vnto her shoulder glaunst.
    (Wyclif Bible)
  • To augment or make something greater.
  • * Southey
    • The reputation of ferocity enhanced the value of their services, in making them feared as well as hated.
  • * 2000 , Mordecai Roshwald, Liberty: Its Meaning and Scope , page 155
    • A hereditary monarch relies on pomp and ceremony, which enhance the respect for the institution
  • To improve something by adding features.
  • * 1986 , Maggie Righetti, Knitting in Plain English , page 192
    • A pom-pom to top off a stocking cap, a fringe to feather the edge of a shawl, tassels to define the points of an afghan, these are just a few of the delightful little goodies that enhance handknit things.
  • To be raised up; to grow larger.
    • A debt enhances rapidly by compound interest.

    Synonyms

    * See also