fortress

noun

for·​tress ˈfȯr-trəs How to pronounce fortress (audio)
Synonyms of fortressnext
: a fortified place : stronghold
especially : a large and permanent fortification sometimes including a town
fortresslike adjective

Examples of fortress in a Sentence

the boys built a snow fortress and then challenged the neighborhood kids to an in-your-face snowball fight
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cold Connection Iceland is a floating fortress of volcanoes. Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026 When a crew member is found dead and another goes missing, military investigators board the floating fortress, with its 2,000-strong crew and nuclear payload, to hunt for the truth before the murder becomes a global security crisis. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026 One focus of Russian attacks has been the town of Lyman in Donetsk, at the edge of what’s known as Ukraine’s fortress belt in the region, and a key strongpoint guarding the larger city of Sloviansk. Tim Lister, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026 As the publication notes, visitors can explore landmarks like the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument — a 17th-century fortress that brings Spanish colonial history to life. Doris Alvarez Cea, Florida Times-Union, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fortress

Word History

Etymology

Middle English forteresse, from Anglo-French fortelesce, forteresse, from Medieval Latin fortalitia, from Latin fortis strong

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fortress was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fortress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fortress. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

fortress

noun
for·​tress ˈfȯr-trəs How to pronounce fortress (audio)
: a fortified place

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