fortified

adjective

for·​ti·​fied ˈfȯr-tə-ˌfīd How to pronounce fortified (audio)
1
: made stronger or more secure
a fortified city
fortified bridges
2
: improved or enhanced through the addition of one or more ingredients: such as
a
: having the alcohol content increased by the addition of distilled grape spirits during fermentation
Since Port is a fortified wine, it is fermented to about 5 percent alcohol, then brandy is added to arrive at a level of 20 percent alcohol.James Suckling
b
: enriched (as with vitamins or minerals) so that nutritional value is improved
fortified milk

Examples of fortified in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Scammers ply their trade from call centers, operating in fortified compounds or on the upper floors of unfinished high-rises. Selam Gebrekidan, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2025 Views over Valletta’s fortified harbor evoke memories of Napoleonic battles (as depicted in Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, which shot in Malta). AFAR Media, 21 Mar. 2025 When air raid sirens sound, our entire team moves to a fortified bunker—once a bank’s secure vault—in our studio. Gemma A. Williams, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 Zoom out: The fortified vaults have been the subject of swirling skepticism and shrouded by secrecy for decades. Avery Lotz, Axios, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fortified

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fortified was in 1538

Cite this Entry

“Fortified.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fortified. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

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