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/Democratic 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
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported two separate Israeli strikes on two vehicles, one in the seafront town of Saadiyat and another on a coastal highway in neighboring Jiyeh, around 12 miles south of Beirut and outside Hezbollah's traditional strongholds.
—Tucker Reals, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Though the region has traditionally been a stronghold of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party, the square where Magyar spoke was overflowing; there seemed to be at least 1,000 people, many of them teenagers and young families.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
But the favorite is Mejia, who will appeal to the district's Democratic stronghold, Covey says.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Set during Japan’s Sengoku period, the film follows Araki Murashige, a warlord who defies the formidable Oda Nobunaga and finds his stronghold sealed off from outside help.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stronghold
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Tucker Reals, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Though the region has traditionally been a stronghold of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party, the square where Magyar spoke was overflowing; there seemed to be at least 1,000 people, many of them teenagers and young families.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
But the favorite is Mejia, who will appeal to the district's Democratic stronghold, Covey says.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Set during Japan’s Sengoku period, the film follows Araki Murashige, a warlord who defies the formidable Oda Nobunaga and finds his stronghold sealed off from outside help.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Apr. 2026
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 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stronghold
noun
strong·hold
ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld
: fortress
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