fortification

noun

ˌfȯr-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce fortification (audio)
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 The serene and sumptuous rooms at Patina have tatami mat daybeds plus washi paper headboards inspired by Osaka Castle’s impressive granite fortifications. — Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026 Excavation of the fourth-century settlement, conducted at the Ain Al-Sabil archaeological site by a mission from Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), revealed a street grid, residential and religious buildings, and fortifications. — Anne Doran For Artnews, Robb Report, 7 July 2026 The engraving was found at an underground Mithras temple at Zerzevan Castle, a Turkish fortification roughly 40 miles north of the Syrian border. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026 Excavation of the fourth-century settlement, conducted at the Ain Al-Sabil archaeological site by a mission from Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), revealed a street grid, residential and religious buildings, and fortifications. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fortification
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortification
  1. fortress
  2. stronghold
  3. citadel
  4. bastion
  5. castle
  6. fort
Noun
  • As recidivist would-be escapees, de Boeldieu, Marechal, and Rosenthal are transferred to an impregnable medieval fortress, commanded by Captain von Rauffenstein, now burnt, broken in body, and wearing a neck brace.
    — Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 18 July 2026
  • Cancer doesn’t just create a fortress in the body to curb attacks.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
Definition of fortress
Noun
  • The state has long been one of the country’s premier political battlegrounds, making the race an early test of whether socialism can expand beyond Democratic strongholds and compete statewide.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 17 July 2026
  • On May 10, the same day the Second Continental Congress convened at the Pennsylvania State House, American troops captured a key British stronghold in New York, boosting Revolutionary morale.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 July 2026
Definition of stronghold
Noun
  • One of the oldest citadels in the Middle East, Jerash has seen an unbroken chain of human occupation since the Bronze Age.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026
  • Paton, 52, was in Peru with his wife to hike the Inca Trail, a popular route that ends at Machu Picchu, a citadel built by the Incas in the 15th century.
    — Sam Peters, CNN Money, 22 May 2026
Definition of citadel
Noun
  • With Sir John Hall as chairman, this bastion of stale mediocrity was now forward-thinking and ambitious.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • Some of the largest arrays are planned for places that have historically been bastions of anti-solar sentiment.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of bastion
Noun
  • Twenty-one hundred miles can already be walked, allowing visitors to view England’s famous headlands, cliffs, beaches, and dunes, as well as castles, oceanside resorts, and wartime relics.
    — Gloria Liu, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026
  • After careful restoration by the prestigious French winery ‌Château d'Yquem, the bottles were put on display at the castle earlier in June.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of castle
Noun
  • Established in 1855 as a military post to fight against the Mescalero Apache, the fort went on to play a minor role in the Civil War and later served as a tuberculosis sanitorium and a World War II internment camp.
    — Allison Savage Bates, Denver Post, 19 July 2026
  • The old site was fort-like, recalling dark chapters in Native American history.
    — Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of fort

Browse Nearby Words

forthwith
fortification
fortifications
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Cite this Entry

“Fortification.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortification. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fortification

Nglish: Translation of fortification for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fortification

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