fort

noun

ˈfȯrt 

1

: a strong or fortified place

especially : a fortified place occupied only by troops and surrounded with such works as a ditch, rampart, and parapet : fortification

2

: a permanent army post

—often used in place names

Synonyms of fort

• fortress
• stronghold
• fortification
• citadel
• castle
• bastion

Examples of fort in a Sentence

They captured the fort after a long battle.

a series of forts along the frontier

Recent Examples on the Web

Those actions included one of the most audacious early successes of the war at the first Battle of Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York, where Continentals managed to capture the British fort and its cannons, which then were used to force the British to evacuate occupied Boston. —Chris Dovi, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025

Located in the heart of Old Delhi, the fort is located just a few kilometers from the Parliament of India. —Esha Mitra, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025

The area surrounding the fort, including the metro station, is usually crowded with tourists and commuters. —Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025

He's been holding down the fort on NBC and Today for over 45 years, and is undeniably integral to the network after all this time. —Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English forte, from Anglo-French fort, from fort, adjective, strong, from Latin fortis

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing fort

• hold down the fort
• hold the fort

Rhymes for fort

• bort
• corte
• court
• dort
• mort
• norte
• ort
• port
• porte
• quart
• short
• snort

Kids Definition

fort

noun

ˈfō(ə)rt 

ˈfȯ(ə)rt

1

: a strong or fortified place

2

: a permanent army post