as in stronghold
a structure or place from which one can resist attack
the boys built a snow fortress and then challenged the neighborhood kids to an in-your-face snowball fight
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fortress
Hiking trails crisscross the island, too, leading to scenic overlooks, including Fort Royal, a hilltop fortress with sweeping views of Dubrovnik and its iconic city walls across the Adriatic.
—
Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
According to Netanyahu, the Israeli military on May 30 captured Beaufort Castle, a historic fortress that sits roughly 9 miles from the Israeli-Lebanese border.
—Drew Pittock, USA Today, 31 May 2026
The Beaufort fortress, perched high atop Lebanon’s rolling green hills and overlooking the Litani River, has been a strategic military asset for centuries.
—Arkansas Online, 31 May 2026
But many Americans have come to treat their home as a private fortress.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fortress
Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
According to Netanyahu, the Israeli military on May 30 captured Beaufort Castle, a historic fortress that sits roughly 9 miles from the Israeli-Lebanese border.
—Drew Pittock, USA Today, 31 May 2026
The Beaufort fortress, perched high atop Lebanon’s rolling green hills and overlooking the Litani River, has been a strategic military asset for centuries.
—Arkansas Online, 31 May 2026
But many Americans have come to treat their home as a private fortress.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fortress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortress
Noun
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The operation, according to the army’s statement, was conducted in the Mandara mountains, which form part of the militant group’s stronghold.—
Dyepkazah Shibayan,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
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The operation, according to the army’s statement, was conducted in the Mandara mountains which form a part of the militant group’s stronghold.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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Built with thick walls of coquina, the Castillo remains the oldest masonry fortification in the continental United States.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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In the 4th century, a defensive wall was constructed in response to instability and military pressures, leading to the fortification of urban settlements.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
7 June 2026
Noun
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From a castle built by a Sherlock Holmes actor in Connecticut to lava fields in Idaho that helped train astronauts, these destinations showcase the beauty, ingenuity and delightful weirdness that make the United States unique.—
Staff,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
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Gaudí's basilica could be described like a sand castle on a beach.—
Seth Doane,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
Noun
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This family home was a bastion of social and political life for many years before it was abandoned in the second World War, eventually becoming a shelter for those displaced.—
Katie Silcox,
Vogue,
28 May 2026
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Like Heated Rivalry before it, Off Campus presents the stereotypically male sport not as a bastion of aggressive masculinity, but as a space for community and care.—
Anna Rinderspacher,
Glamour,
20 May 2026
Noun
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The brothers spent hours playing around their grandmother’s house—climbing trees, building forts, and racing through cornfields—but their home life was fraught.—
Heidi Blake,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
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Couples can also take a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park, a remote national park that's more than 99 percent underwater and world-famous for its snorkeling and 19th-century coastal fort.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fortress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortress. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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