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

Alexandre Dumas’s novel of identity and revenge gets a big-budget remake with Sam Claflin starring as Edmond Dantès, a sailor wrongly imprisoned in an island fortress who, after his escape and subsequent treasure finding, plots his vengeance. —Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026

The point is not to turn the home into a fortress but to remove single points of failure. —Neal K. Shah, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026

The result is the most security-intensive Academy Awards in memory — a fortress of concentric rings, AI surveillance, FBI intelligence gathering and rooftop snipers wrapped around Hollywood’s biggest night. —Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 14 Mar. 2026

American Samoa offers remote South Pacific coral reefs and volcanic ridges, while Dry Tortugas, accessible only by boat or seaplane, features vibrant marine life and a massive 19th-century coastal fortress, around 70 miles off the coast of Key West. —Owen Clarke, Outside, 13 Mar. 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