reinforcement
extra support that makes something stronger
extra support that makes something stronger, more stable, or more certain
[something] needs / receives reinforcement
- The old wooden beams will need reinforcement before we can add a second floor.
- Her kind words gave me reinforcement when I was doubting my decision.
- The new data offers strong reinforcement for the theory that sleep affects memory.
- Metal brackets were added as reinforcement to the damaged door frame.
- Constant practice serves as reinforcement for the skills you learn in class.
- This bridge needs reinforcement to be safe.
- His message gave me reinforcement and I felt better.
- The study is good reinforcement for their idea.
- We added extra screws as reinforcement to the shelf.
- Daily review is strong reinforcement for new vocabulary.
reward or effect that strengthens behavior
a reward or result that makes a behavior happen more often
[someone] uses reinforcement to change [behavior]
- Teachers often use positive reinforcement, such as praise or small rewards, to increase participation in class.
- If you give a child extra screen time every time they finish their homework, that can act as reinforcement for good study habits.
- In this training program, reinforcement happens immediately after the desired action, so the behavior is learned quickly.
- Social reinforcement, like smiles and approval from friends, can strongly influence how we act.
- The company relies on continuous reinforcement to build a culture of safety among its workers.
- Parents can use reinforcement to help children learn good habits.
- Smiles and kind words are strong reinforcement for a child.
- The coach uses praise as reinforcement when the team plays well.
- Bad behavior can also grow if it gets reinforcement.
- Reinforcement should happen soon after the action.
additional soldiers or helpers sent in
extra soldiers or people who come to help a group, usually in a difficult situation
[someone] sends / calls for reinforcements
- The commander radioed headquarters and requested reinforcements before advancing further.
- Police reinforcements arrived within minutes to help control the crowd.
- Without reinforcements, the unit was forced to hold its position through the night.
- Fresh reinforcements were sent to the front line to replace the tired soldiers.
- The firefighters called for reinforcements when the blaze spread to the next building.
- The army needed reinforcements to win the battle.
- Police reinforcements came and the street became quiet.
- They called for reinforcements when the fire grew.
- More reinforcements arrived the next morning.
- Without reinforcements, the small group could not continue.
material that strengthens a structure
material put inside something, like concrete or cloth, to make it stronger
reinforcement in [material / structure]
- Steel reinforcement is placed inside the concrete to prevent it from cracking under tension.
- The engineer recommended adding fiber reinforcement to improve the durability of the road surface.
- Rust on the reinforcement can seriously weaken a concrete beam.
- The design includes extra reinforcement around the openings for doors and windows.
- Carbon fiber reinforcement allows the panel to remain light but very strong.
- The workers put steel reinforcement inside the concrete.
- Reinforcement helps the wall stay strong for many years.
- There is extra reinforcement under the heavy machine.
- The engineer checked the reinforcement before they poured the concrete.
- We need more reinforcement in this part of the bridge.
- Base: reinforcement
- Plural: reinforcement, reinforcements
call for reinforcements
1request extra troops or help
to ask for more soldiers or other helpers to come and support people in a difficult situation
- The officers had to call for reinforcements when the fight got out of control.
- Firefighters quickly called for reinforcements as the fire spread to nearby buildings.
- Realizing they were outnumbered, the squad called for reinforcements.
negative reinforcement
1relief that increases behavior
taking away something unpleasant, like loud noise or extra work, so that a behavior happens more often
- Turning off a loud alarm when a task is finished is an example of negative reinforcement.
- Negative reinforcement is often misunderstood as punishment, but it actually increases the behavior.
- The trainer used negative reinforcement by stopping the pressure on the horse when it moved in the right direction.
positive reinforcement
1reward that increases behavior
giving something pleasant, like praise or a small reward, so that a behavior happens more often
- The teacher uses positive reinforcement, such as stickers and praise, to keep the children motivated.
- In parenting, positive reinforcement can be more effective than punishment for building good habits.
- Employees respond well to positive reinforcement when their hard work is noticed and rewarded.
reinforcement learning
1machine learning by rewards and penalties
a kind of computer learning where a program tries actions and learns from rewards or penalties to do better over time
- Reinforcement learning has been used to train computers to play complex games like Go.
- In reinforcement learning, the system improves its strategy based on feedback from the environment.
- The robotics team is experimenting with reinforcement learning to teach the robot to walk more smoothly.
send in reinforcements
1dispatch extra troops or help
to send more soldiers or other helpers to support people who are already in a difficult situation
- The general decided to send in reinforcements before the next attack.
- When the protests grew, the city sent in reinforcements to support the local police.
- They had to send in reinforcements to help the rescue teams reach the village.
steel reinforcement
1steel used to strengthen concrete
steel bars or steel mesh put inside concrete to make it stronger
- The building code requires steel reinforcement in all load‑bearing concrete walls.
- Corrosion of the steel reinforcement can seriously damage a concrete structure.
- They inspected the steel reinforcement before pouring the concrete slab.
structural reinforcement
1extra strength added to structures
extra parts or materials added to a building, bridge, or other structure to make it stronger and safer
- The old bridge will undergo major structural reinforcement next year.
- After the earthquake, many houses needed structural reinforcement to meet the new safety standards.
- We included structural reinforcement around the elevator shaft in the design.