fortress

noun

for·​tress ˈfȯr-trəs 

: a fortified place : stronghold

especially : a large and permanent fortification sometimes including a town

fortresslike

ˈfȯr-trəs-līk 

adjective

Synonyms of fortress

• stronghold
• citadel
• fortification
• castle
• bastion
• fort

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

Named for King George III, the fortress was built by the British in 1778 to protect West Florida from Spain. — Lane Degregory, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2026

Playing on home soil in a venue that has become an almost impregnable fortress, El Tri will face England in the Round of 16 — in what is arguably the most important match in Mexican soccer history. — Carlos Rodriguez, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Was a wedding at that hulking fortress in Midtown Manhattan gauche? — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 4 July 2026

The footage opens with fortress-like coastal imagery before moving into large-scale period sets, suggesting the film will have the epic scope of Hugo’s story while grounding it in a raw visual language. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 2 July 2026

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

Kids Definition

fortress

noun

for·​tress ˈfȯr-trəs 

: a fortified place