fortress

noun

for·​tress ˈfȯr-trəs How to pronounce fortress (audio)
: a fortified place : stronghold
especially : a large and permanent fortification sometimes including a town
fortresslike adjective

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 This fortress was constructed in 1361 by the Sienese and its many nearby side streets are worth taking the time to get lost in. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 12 Mar. 2024 From fortresses to ornate palaces, these medieval-style structures are worth traveling for. Steven Casale, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2024 Hunyadi achieved that through a mix of military innovation – including the use of artillery and firearms – the foresight of fortifying Belgrade’s fortress at his own cost, inspired tactics and improvisation. John Hopewell, Variety, 27 Feb. 2024 It’s located above Ibiza Town inside a magnificent ancient fortress with Renaissance town walls, cobbled stone streets and tight alleyways. Chloe Sachdev, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2024 But eventually civilians were evacuated and the plant became a fortress for the Ukrainian military. Marc Santora Tyler Hicks, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2024 Related article London’s most exclusive pub is hidden inside a 900-year-old fortress Next is the Weaver line from Liverpool Street in the center of the city to the northeastern suburbs of Cheshunt, Enfield Town and Chingford. Jack Guy, CNN, 15 Feb. 2024 Across Missouri, lawmakers, local officials, members of the public and even Chiefs players themselves are now wondering whether the fortress has any vulnerabilities. Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 15 Feb. 2024 Since then, the sprawling hilltop site that started as a fortress has taken on many iterations. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fortress.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of fortress was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near fortress

Cite this Entry

“Fortress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fortress. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fortress

noun
for·​tress ˈfȯr-trəs How to pronounce fortress (audio)
: a fortified place

More from Merriam-Webster on fortress

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