They began the fortification and reconstruction of the city.
defenders at the border fortifications preparing for an attack
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fortification.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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.
15th century
: the act of building military defenses to protect a place against attack : the act of fortifying something
: a structure (such as a wall or tower) that is built to protect a place
See words that rhyme with fortification Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fortification Spanish Central: Translation of fortification Nglish: Translation of fortification for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of fortification for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fortification
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