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
Now, with many of those proxies weakened, Iraq has become one of the last strongholds of Iranian influence.
—Emma Graham, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2025
Long a Democratic stronghold, New Jersey's margins and increasing Republican competitiveness have placed national attention on whether Democrats can sustain their dominance or if Republicans will flip the governor’s office, signaling a potential shift in national political strategies.
—Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Los Angeles is one of the last strongholds of apparel production in the United States, and a panel will cover the relationship between nearshoring and reducing fashion’s impact.
—Sj Staff, Sourcing Journal, 9 Oct. 2025
State and local officials have pushed back and accused the White House of manufacturing a crisis to justify sending soldiers into Democratic strongholds.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
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Emma Graham, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2025
Long a Democratic stronghold, New Jersey's margins and increasing Republican competitiveness have placed national attention on whether Democrats can sustain their dominance or if Republicans will flip the governor’s office, signaling a potential shift in national political strategies.
—Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Los Angeles is one of the last strongholds of apparel production in the United States, and a panel will cover the relationship between nearshoring and reducing fashion’s impact.
—Sj Staff, Sourcing Journal, 9 Oct. 2025
State and local officials have pushed back and accused the White House of manufacturing a crisis to justify sending soldiers into Democratic strongholds.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 9 Oct. 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 17 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stronghold
noun
strong·hold
ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld
: fortress
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