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

Royal Isabela resembles a fortress, especially from a distance. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026

This is the task of the middle powers, the countries that have the most to lose from a world of fortresses and most to gain from genuine cooperation. —Haley Ott, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026

Tour the fortresses, stroll through the town’s central market, and visit Spianada Square, the largest square in Greece. —Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2026

While the prison grounds have no high fences, the prison units exist as separate fortresses, successors to the long wooden barracks that were once here. —Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 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