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

b

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

a Republican stronghold

strongholds of snobbery

—Lionel Trilling

Synonyms

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

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 on the Web

Throughout 2024, Moscow has made significant gains in Ukraine's east, advancing at its fastest pace since the early weeks of the war and claiming key settlements like Avdiivka, a former Ukrainian stronghold in the eastern Donetsk region, in February. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2024

Aleppo was also the main rebel stronghold until Assad took it over in 2016. —Lauren Kent, CNN, 30 Nov. 2024

Syrian armed forces said the insurgents are violating a 2019 agreement that de-escalated fighting in the area, the last remaining opposition stronghold for years. —Sarah El Deeb The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 30 Nov. 2024

For decades, Orange County was a conservative stronghold — the birthplace of former President Nixon, the cradle of Ronald Reagan’s ascent to the governor’s mansion and then the White House, and, for decades, a virtual synonym for the Republican Party of California. —Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

stronghold

noun

strong·​hold ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld 

: fortress