Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) Vocabulary 2025 Practice Test

The primary function of a 'buttress' is to support or strengthen a structure, particularly in architecture. Buttresses are architectural features that project from a wall to provide additional stability and to help distribute weight. This support is especially important for taller buildings and structures that need reinforcement to withstand external forces, such as the weight of the roof or the pressure of wind. By adding a buttress, the integrity of the structure is enhanced, allowing it to remain stable and safe over time.

This understanding of a buttress as a support system is why the answer focusing on support or strengthen is the most accurate option. The other choices do not align with the architectural context or function of a buttress, which is fundamentally about reinforcement rather than decoration, occupation of space, or weakening.