Definition of fortificationnext
as in fortress
a structure or place from which one can resist attack defenders at the border fortifications preparing for an attack

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 fortification Hundreds of millions more are dedicated to smaller, local road projects and the fortification of rural bridges. Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 15 Jan. 2026 In September 2023, in the middle of the Northumberland night, a mechanic named Adam Carruthers cut down a sycamore tree more than a century old that stood in a gap along an especially picturesque section of Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman fortification that runs across the narrowest part of England. Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025 Passmore’s magisterial, revisionist account of the Maginot Line—the network of French fortifications built in the 1920s and 1930s to stop a German invasion—challenges the conventional understanding of its role in World War II. Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025 Ammunition, uniforms, and fortifications contribute to GDP but do not improve long-term welfare or capital formation. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 16 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fortification
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortification
Noun
  • In the centre of Erbil, the fortress-like Citadel, a Unesco World Heritage Site inhabited for more than 6,000 years, is currently undergoing a lengthy restoration.
    Nicola Chilton, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Your best bet for landing a slumber party at this fortress would be to start planning a destination wedding to the Scottish Highlands, as the castle can be booked as a wedding venue.
    Alison McDermott, Architectural Digest, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Could Georgia become new ICE stronghold?
    Irene Wright, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
  • The town is a stronghold of Arab tribal leader Musa Hilal who also hails from the Rizeigat Arab tribe as the majority of the members of the paramilitary RSF.
    ABC News, ABC News, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Ray, by contrast, is a figure of intermittent but undeniable mirth—a citadel of physical perfection whose sublimity occasionally touches the ridiculous.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The tiny, wooded citadel is the northernmost Stone Age stronghold anywhere in Eurasia.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Since its inception 35 years ago, Sony Pictures Classics — under the uncommonly consistent stewardship of co-chiefs Michael Barker and Tom Bernard — has been a bastion of socially minded cinema on the global stage.
    Karen Kramer, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
  • For many decades, Memorial Day was seen as the bastion upon which our white wardrobe pieces were held back in the closet.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • On the overlook of a dark, looming castle, scarred by war, two friends and lords look out through the mists.
    Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 28 Feb. 2026
  • Unfortunately, Rob is not single and has been dating someone for the past two months, breaking everyone’s heart in the castle just one last time.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Historical accounts and later academic research describe him as enslaving hundreds of Native Americans, forcing Indigenous people to labor at the fort and punishing or pursuing those who attempted to flee.
    Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 1 Mar. 2026
  • She and Guthrie's cohost, Craig Melvin, were meant to join NBC’s 2026 Winter Olympics press team in Milan, but stayed behind to hold down the fort in Savannah's stead.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fortification.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortification. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.

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