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

Beyond the fortress, the town’s historic center includes the Duomo, Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta (the parish church), and the Renaissance Palazzo Mediceo. — Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026

Now, a selection of these objects are on view as part of a summer festival at the Damascus Citadel, a former military fortress and UNESCO World Heritage site that recently reopened. — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 14 Aug. 2026

The city is also home to the 12th-century medieval fortress Castelo de Bragança, as well as a citadel, ancient churches, and museums. — Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 13 Aug. 2026

About 90 miles northeast of Lisbon, just east of the pilgrimage site of Fátima, is lush, green Tomar – a quaint town of about 20,000 residents, set under a historic fortress. — Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 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