Definition of BASTIONS

Did You Know?

Bastion is constructed of etymological building blocks that are very similar to those of "bastille" (a word now used as a general term for a prison, but probably best known as the name of the Parisian fortress-turned-prison stormed by an angry mob at the start of the French Revolution). The history of "bastion" can be traced through Middle French to the Old Italian verb bastire, which means "to build." "Bastille" descends from the Old Occitan verb "bastir," which also means "to build." "Bastir" and "bastire" are themselves of Germanic origin and akin to the Old High German word besten, meaning "to patch."

Examples of bastion in a Sentence

the rebel army retreated to its bastion in the mountains to regroup

Recent Examples on the Web International media watchdogs have condemned the closure of ABS-CBN, which was founded in 1953, as a major blow to press freedom in an Asian bastion of democracy. — Fox News, "Philippines' largest TV network has license renewal rejected," 11 July 2020 Hong Kong has long been a bastion of online freedom on the digital border of China’s tightly managed Internet, but its status changed radically in just a week. — Paul Mozur, BostonGlobe.com, "In Hong Kong, a proxy battle over Internet freedom begins," 7 July 2020 The report focused on Idlib, the last major rebel bastion in Syria and the site of an exodus of more than 1 million civilians. — Washington Post, "World Digest: July 7, 2020," 7 July 2020 For years, Hong Kong has been a bastion of peace for religious people. — Haley Victory Smith, Washington Examiner, "Pope skips planned remarks on Hong Kong security law: Report," 6 July 2020 The violence unfolded in a city long known as a liberal bastion with a long history of protest, dating back to student demonstrations on the University of Wisconsin campus in the 1960s. — Scott Bauer, Anchorage Daily News, "Crowds in Wisconsin tear down statues, attack state senator," 24 June 2020 The violence unfolded in a city long known as a liberal bastion with a long history of protest, dating back to student demonstrations on the University of Wisconsin campus in the 1960s. — Time, "Wisconsin Governor Activates National Guard After 2 Statues Pulled Down at State Capitol," 24 June 2020 The violence unfolded in a city long known as a liberal bastion with a long history of protest, dating back to student demonstrations on the University of Wisconsin campus in the 1960s. — BostonGlobe.com, "Alabama history agency admits perpetuating systemic racism," 24 June 2020 The protests consuming the city right now are—or should be—the end of such false comforts and the broader idea of Pittsburgh as a progressive bastion. — Casey Taylor, The New Republic, "Nihilism and White Bliss in America’s Most Livable City," 5 June 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bastion.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.