1
as in fortresses
a structure or place from which one can resist attack
the implacable attackers placed the castle under a prolonged siege
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in mansions
a large impressive residence
the mining tycoon built a magnificent castle on the hill overlooking the town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of castles
Trails weave through medieval castles, moorland and rugged coastlines.
—
Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
Northumberland, in the United Kingdom, weaves trails through medieval sites — castles, moorland and rugged coastlines.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Maastricht, The Netherlands — Arguably as beautiful as Amsterdam and far less crowded, Maastricht sits on both sides of the Meuse River, surrounded by stunning countryside and historic castles.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026
The centerpiece is the massive ice sculptures built specifically for the event — full-scale buildings, castles and figures carved from blocks of ice harvested from the Songhua River.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026
They were set in crumbling castles and moldering dungeons—that is, amid the rubble of a collapsing social order.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Today, the municipality doesn’t seem too eager to promote its affinity for the international language (its tourism office tends to focus more on local castles and caves), but Herzberg has achieved near-mythic status among some Esperantists.
—Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
Because castles are kind of cool.
—Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2026
Packing Tip When planning your trip to explore the stunning castles of Ireland, be sure to pack comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing, as many castle visits involve outdoor tours and can include uneven or rugged terrain.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 22 May 2026
Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
Northumberland, in the United Kingdom, weaves trails through medieval sites — castles, moorland and rugged coastlines.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Maastricht, The Netherlands — Arguably as beautiful as Amsterdam and far less crowded, Maastricht sits on both sides of the Meuse River, surrounded by stunning countryside and historic castles.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026
The centerpiece is the massive ice sculptures built specifically for the event — full-scale buildings, castles and figures carved from blocks of ice harvested from the Songhua River.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026
They were set in crumbling castles and moldering dungeons—that is, amid the rubble of a collapsing social order.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Today, the municipality doesn’t seem too eager to promote its affinity for the international language (its tourism office tends to focus more on local castles and caves), but Herzberg has achieved near-mythic status among some Esperantists.
—Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
Because castles are kind of cool.
—Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2026
Packing Tip When planning your trip to explore the stunning castles of Ireland, be sure to pack comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing, as many castle visits involve outdoor tours and can include uneven or rugged terrain.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for castles
Noun
-
The trailers show that Eternia was once a vibrant alien-like world with multi-colored forests, massive mountains and fortresses with towering faces carved into their entrances.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
-
And by the turn of the twenty-first century, most of those tiny bungalows had been replaced by sprawling estates—fortresses for the entertainment elite, where Oscar trophies adorned mantels and wealth guarded from disaster.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
What to do nearby Oglethorpe Avenue is one of Savannah’s prettiest streets, lined with live oak trees and handsome mansions.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 June 2026
-
One day, the Santa Ana winds stoke a raging fire on the Getty Center hill, threatening the mansions south of Sunset.—
Zinzi Clemmons,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Boston, the lone plaintiff in the lawsuit, asserted that the measure violates the state and federal constitutions and targets Democratic strongholds under the guise of taking politics out of those elections.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
-
In fact, the tax relief in the governor’s proposal would still benefit wealthy homeowners, and DeSantis has touted Florida as a safe haven for billionaires disillusioned with liberal strongholds like California and New York.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Let alone seek revenge by annexing the manors of your enemies.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Virginia‘s countryside is dotted with traditional farmhouses and manors, but one in the foothills of the Southwest Mountains has been given a contemporary twist by a New York architect.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Built as a Crusader castle around the 12th century on top of previous fortifications, it has also been used by Saladin’s Jerusalem army, Mamluks, Ottomans, the French and the Palestine Liberation Organization.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 May 2026
-
French doors open to balconies with views across Chania toward the sea, and the citrus- and olive-filled garden is bound, in part, by the city’s ancient Venetian fortifications.—
Katie Silcox,
Vogue,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The gringos are coming, and Latour must shore up the diocese, trekking between isolated haciendas and pueblos with his quasi-spousal companion Father Vaillant.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
-
While arched passageways reference those found in classic haciendas, the walls are hand-finished in quintessentially Mexican chukum plaster.—
Adrian Madlener,
Curbed,
6 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The story is a bit murkier than Manichaean talk of stormers and citadels.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Intelsat’s leadership rapidly green-lighted the campaign to set up internet citadels.—
Kevin Holden Platt,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Wealthy sunseekers still summer in many of these Gilded Age mansions, but a smattering of the most grand estates are open to the public as museums, dubbed the Newport Mansions.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
Without a blueprint in place at the state level, individual communities like Hoffman estates are left to regulate data center expansion on their own.—
Charlie De Mar,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Castles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/castles. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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