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

There is lots to discover, from a 17th-century military fortress to the almost 100-year-old Magic Fountains. — Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 3 Nov. 2026

The iPhone maker has a fortress balance sheet, a vice-like grip on its markets, and 20 years after the first iPhone release, still remains cool. — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026

The history of castles is, of course, also filled with gruesome details, and some of the most famous fortresses served as prisons and sites of torture and execution. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026

According to the brand, these mushrooms were actually found growing in the cellar of the nearby Wilhelmsburg fortress, so the team decided to use them to add some umami flavor to the gin. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 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