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

Opponents say the president is going too far in his hardening of the White House, turning it into something closer to a fortress. — Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026

Deep inside the labyrinthine alleys of Acre’s Old City – home to a 700-year-old Crusader fortress – Muhammad Hani could not order a takeaway pizza. — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026

For those who favor outdoor adventure, climb up the famed hiking trail to get to the medieval fortress at the very top of the town. — Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026

Chief among the discoveries is a large mud brick housing complex connected to the southern entrance of the fortress. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 18 Sep. 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