fortress

noun

for·​tress ˈfȯr-trəs 

: a fortified place : stronghold

especially : a large and permanent fortification sometimes including a town

fortresslike

ˈfȯr-trəs-līk 

adjective

Synonyms of fortress

• stronghold
• citadel
• fortification
• castle
• bastion
• fort

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

For those who favor outdoor adventure, climb up the famed hiking trail to get to the medieval fortress at the very top of the town. — Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026

It’s believed that the original fortress went up in the 14th century, about 200 years before the Kato clan took control of Ozu. — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 17 Sep. 2026

The horse was found amid structures and artifacts that have revealed more details of military and daily life inside ancient Egyptian fortresses, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a Wednesday statement. — Ahmed Shawkat, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026

One that could truly turn water into the biggest floating fortresses the world has ever seen. — Mike McRae 16, New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2026

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

Kids Definition

fortress

noun

for·​tress ˈfȯr-trəs 

: a fortified place