fortification

noun

for·​ti·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌfȯr-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

1

: an act or process of fortifying

2

: something that fortifies, defends, or strengthens

especially : works erected to defend a place or position

Did you know?

In the Middle Ages, many European cities were entirely enclosed by sturdy walls, with walkways along the top and towers at intervals, designed to make an invasion impossible. A water-filled ditch, or moat, might run alongside the wall for added defense. Such defenses turned the entire city into a fort, or fortress. Over the centuries, fortifications changed steadily with the development of new weaponry. In World War II, the German fortification of the French coast included antitank barriers, bunkers, minefields, and underwater obstacles, but it wasn't enough to turn back the immense force of the Allied invasion on D-day.

Synonyms

• fortress
• stronghold
• citadel
• bastion
• castle
• fort

Examples of fortification in a Sentence

They began the fortification and reconstruction of the city.

defenders at the border fortifications preparing for an attack

Recent Examples on the Web

This would force Ukraine to built fortifications to be built along the Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk border areas, the terrain of which is poorly suited to act as a defensive line, the ISW said. —Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Aug. 2025

Since 2021, a team led by Jonathan Burns, an archaeologist at Juniata College, has been working with students and veterans on private land a few miles from Fort Ligonier, a military fortification built during the French and Indian War, to uncover physical evidence of the battle. —Aurora Martínez, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2025

That’s not because of medieval fortifications, but from the Old Norse word gata, meaning road. —David Nikel, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025

The statue was possibly commissioned by King of France Henry II, who conquered the Three Bishoprics of Lorraine in 1552 and worked to reinforce the fortifications around Toul, archaeologists said. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fortification

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

fortification

noun

for·​ti·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌfȯrt-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

1

: the act of fortifying

2

: a construction built for defense