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/Democratic stronghold

strongholds of snobbery

—Lionel Trilling

Synonyms of stronghold

• fortress
• bastion
• citadel
• fortification
• castle
• fort

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

Rulon Jeffs ordered his followers to move to Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, a location known as Short Creek on the border of those two states, that had been a stronghold of the Mormon fundamentalist movement since the 1920s. — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026

The Houthis descended from their stronghold in northern Yemen, taking over the capital of Sanaa in September 2014 and forcing the country's government into exile in Saudi Arabia. — Tucker Reals, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026

Whilst the regions that make up the former East Germany are AfD strongholds, Merz’s problem lies in the party’s rise in popularity across the country. — Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026

Renzo Rosso Founder and chairman, OTB Group Renzo Rosso founded the OTB Group in 2002 as the home for Diesel and Staff International, acquired two years earlier as a Made in Italy stronghold and production arm. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stronghold

• ahold
• behold
• billfold
• blindfold
• cajoled
• consoled
• controlled
• cotswold
• eightfold
• enfold
• enrolled
• extolled

Kids Definition

stronghold

noun

strong·​hold ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld 

: fortress