stronghold
noun
strong·hold
ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld 
1
: a fortified place
2
a
: a place of security or survival
one of the last strongholds of the ancient Gaelic language—
George Holmes
George Holmes
b
: a place dominated by a particular group or marked by a particular characteristic
a Republican stronghold
strongholds of snobbery—Lionel Trilling
Lionel TrillingExamples 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 on the Web
In recent years, grizzlies have spilled out of their stronghold in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem — a broad swath of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming — and into human territory, where coexistence gets messy.
—Christine Peterson, Vox, 27 June 2025
America Great Again movement against the conservative legal stronghold that helped Trump reshape the courts during his first term by offering up conservative judges as suggestions to fill benches across the country.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 4 June 2025
To be most successful, the company must continue to balance its expansion into solving ultra-difficult scientific and engineering challenges using its supercomputers with maintaining its stronghold in EDA for chip makers.
—Anshel Sag, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
For the past fortnight the invasion force of eight thousand troops had sailed and rowed south for a hundred miles, from the Richelieu River in Quebec to within fifteen miles of the American stronghold at Fort Ticonderoga.
—/ Cbs News, CBS News, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stronghold
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Christine Peterson, Vox, 27 June 2025
America Great Again movement against the conservative legal stronghold that helped Trump reshape the courts during his first term by offering up conservative judges as suggestions to fill benches across the country.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 4 June 2025
To be most successful, the company must continue to balance its expansion into solving ultra-difficult scientific and engineering challenges using its supercomputers with maintaining its stronghold in EDA for chip makers.
—Anshel Sag, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
For the past fortnight the invasion force of eight thousand troops had sailed and rowed south for a hundred miles, from the Richelieu River in Quebec to within fifteen miles of the American stronghold at Fort Ticonderoga.
—/ Cbs News, CBS News, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stronghold
Cite this Entry
“Stronghold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stronghold. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stronghold
noun
strong·hold
ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld
: fortress
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share