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 of fortification

• 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

Passmore’s magisterial, revisionist account of the Maginot Line—the network of French fortifications built in the 1920s and 1930s to stop a German invasion—challenges the conventional understanding of its role in World War II. —Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025

Ammunition, uniforms, and fortifications contribute to GDP but do not improve long-term welfare or capital formation. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 16 Dec. 2025

But Meier said that, at least on land, artillery will still have its place, especially against an entrenched defender with strong fortifications. —Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 27 Nov. 2025

The plan would also give Russia the Donbas region, comprised of Luhansk and Donetsk, which contain Ukraine's strongest fortifications. —Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 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