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

• bastion
• castle
• citadel
• fastness
• fort
• fortification
• hold
• redoubt
• stronghold

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

Their kids navigate their trauma from Oct. 7 by being with each other, playing hide-and-seek and making fortresses. —William Booth, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024

The second fortress, the Lower Doluca Castle, has many similar geographical features, and was also found atop a hillside. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024

Rihanna Is Dabbling in the Rich Grandma Aesthetic By Daniel Rodgers Andalucía is a mille-feuille of civilizations and cultures; however, its top attractions are the towering fortresses, monumental mosques, and awe-inspiring palaces constructed during the Moors’ 800-year rule. —Siobhan Reid, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2024

Some of these properties offer a single room within the castle while others offer the entire fortress all for you. —Andrea Romano, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2024

The fortresses block rainwater from flowing off a sidewalk into a bed, and piling soil around a tree’s trunk can rot the bark and lead to disease. —Jane Margolies, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024

Apple is opening small cracks in the iPhone’s digital fortress as part of a regulatory clampdown in Europe that is striving to give consumers more choices — at the risk of creating new avenues for hackers to steal personal and financial information stored on the devices. —Michael Liedtke, Fortune Europe, 7 Mar. 2024

The snow-dusting on the logo suggests a scene set in The Fortress of Solitude, Superman’s arctic fortress. —Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Feb. 2024

Fans can also step into the iconic Castle Grayskull fortress from Masters of the Universe and show off their competitive side with a game of laser tag. —Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024

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