stronghold

noun strong·hold \ ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld \

Updated on: 7 May 2018

1 : a fortified place

2 a : a place of security or survival

one of the last strongholds of the ancient Gaelic language
—George Holmes

b : a place dominated by a particular group or marked by a particular characteristic

a Republican stronghold

strongholds of snobbery
—Lionel Trilling

See stronghold defined for English-language learners

See stronghold defined for kids

Examples of stronghold in a Sentence

The area is a Republican stronghold.
The rebels retreated to their mountain stronghold.
the last stronghold of the endangered deer

Recent Examples of stronghold from the Web

The tax cut message takes on added importance as Republican prospects for the midterm elections continue to worsen, including in Arizona, a traditional GOP stronghold.

— ronald j. hansen, azcentral, "Vice President Mike Pence defends Trump tax cuts at Tempe event," 1 May 2018
For BuzzFeed, Anne Helen Petersen profiles Idaho gubernatorial candidate and former state representative Paulette Jordan, whose left-of-center views are an anomaly in a region that has been a Republican stronghold for decades.

— danielle jackson, Longreads, "Could Paulette Jordan of Idaho Become the Country’s First Native American Governor?," 30 Apr. 2018
The island was a stronghold for communications and supplies for the Japanese, and it was heavily guarded.

— rachel siegel, courant.com, "'I thought I was done': George H.W. Bush faced death at 20 during WWII," 24 Apr. 2018
The Chinese ride-hail player has just launched its service in Mexico, which happens to be an Uber stronghold.

— johana bhuiyan, Recode, "Uber will go head-to-head with Didi again — this time in Mexico," 23 Apr. 2018
Pennsylania’s 18th district is a Republican stronghold.

— theodore kupfer, National Review, "In Pennsylvania, a Bellwether Special Election Attracts National Attention," 6 Feb. 2018
Texas – While Texas is unquestionably a Republican stronghold, its 33rd district is considered one of the worst cases of gerrymandering in the country.

— chris morris, Fortune, "After North Carolina, What Other States Could See Their Congressional Districts Redrawn?," 10 Jan. 2018
This Orange County congressional district is among seven GOP strongholds that are a linchpin in Democrats’ plan to seize control of the House this fall.

— liz goodwin, BostonGlobe.com, "Orange County tests Democrats’ hope for a suburban blue wave," 21 Apr. 2018
Most of the local governments siding with the Trump administration are in Orange County, an area once considered a GOP stronghold but that voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

— staff, The Christian Science Monitor, "Some California communities say no to 'sanctuary state'," 17 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stronghold.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of stronghold

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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stronghold Synonyms

Synonyms

bastion, castle, citadel, fastness, fort, fortification, fortress, hold, redoubt;

bunker, dugout;

blockhouse, garrison house;

STRONGHOLD Defined for English Language Learners

stronghold

noun

: an area where most people have the same beliefs, values, etc. : an area dominated by a particular group
: a protected place where the members of a military group stay and can defend themselves against attacks
: an area where a particular type of uncommon animal can still be found

STRONGHOLD Defined for Kids

stronghold

noun strong·hold \ ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld \

: fortress

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See words that rhyme with stronghold Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for stronghold Spanish Central: Translation of stronghold Nglish: Translation of stronghold for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of stronghold for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stronghold

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