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as in stronghold
a structure or place from which one can resist attack the guerillas retreated to their network of hidden fastnesses deep within the mountains

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fastness Like the pressing, the hard work mentality and fastness of transition for example. Andy Jones, New York Times, 29 May 2025 Editors and contributors compare dozens of sets and look for qualities such as softness, durability, breathability, color fastness, and how well the linens launder and withstand wear. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 16 May 2025 The system ensures good wet-rubbing and dry-rubbing fastness and softness on all kinds of fabrics. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 30 Dec. 2024 The Neutral Ground had cowboys (or Cow Boys), Indians, cavalry attacks and rescues, and secret woodland fastnesses known only to the canniest frontiersman. Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024 The technology uses specific formaldehyde-free agents to enhance the dyeing process of raw garments, resulting in a bright and deep indigo color, improving wash and rubbing fastness, and increasing lightfastness and levelness. Andrea Onate, WWD, 12 June 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fastness
Noun
  • That’s the top speed for a 49ers ball carrier so far.
    Matt Barrows, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Why Arc's hypersonic speed could change aerospace testing Beyond rapid delivery, Arc doubles as a hypersonic testing platform.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • 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
Noun
  • Invite critiques to maintain humility Nicholas likes to tell his team that loyalty in retail is just the absence of something better, and he is driven by a fear of rivals like Costco outsmarting his business.
    Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 17 Oct. 2025
  • The strongest brands look beyond surface-level metrics to uncover the real signals of loyalty, credibility and cultural resonance.
    Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Hawke sells all of Hart’s delusions, destructive impulses, and high-velocity downward spirals with an energy that keeps this bitchy, old-school collection of bon mots and screwball bickering moving along nicely.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Almost all spacecraft sent to deep space — including the Voyager probes, Juno, Cassini-Huygens, and Galileo — must execute gravity assist maneuvers, slingshotting around planets to gain velocity for their vast treks.
    Big Think, Big Think, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • For them, local self-government has become a fortress, and the drawbridge is up.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The Nachems also got to work turning their home into a germ-free fortress, rehoming their pets, never opening the windows and opening the doors to outside as sparingly as possible.
    Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Meghan has no allegiance to the British Royal Family or UK.
    Janelle Ash , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Mbeumo met one of his idols, Samuel Eto’o, before switching allegiance in 2022 and representing Cameroon at the World Cup in Qatar.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The former played the role of cynosure for the neophytes of the new high society, the latter remaining the bastion of genteel estates and social exclusivity.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Benioff is the latest tech billionaire in the Bay Area, once a liberal bastion, to cozy up to Trump in the president’s second term.
    Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This dedication earned him a city proclamation recognizing his impact on Kansas City’s art scene.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Her passion and commitment to the environmental movement in Brazil and beyond, and her dedication to amplifying solutions will be invaluable to our mission.
    Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fastness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fastness. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

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