fortress

noun

ˈfȯr-trəs How to pronounce fortress (audio)
Definition of fortressnext
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

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 fortress The two studio lots also boast dozens of soundstages; century-old fortresses that would not be easily duplicated. — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026 Surveying the world from the cab of a Hummer EV feels like peering out from a fortress turret. — Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 12 Aug. 2026 Recently released versions of Chrome for Windows and macOS generate a key that’s stored in this fortress. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026 Once their homes are converted into makeshift fortresses of cookie boxes, scouts like Olive, Shannon Elizabeth, Ara, and Nikki—the protagonists of the documentary—get to work selling them. — Bedatri D. Choudhury, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fortress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortress
  1. stronghold
  2. citadel
  3. fortification
  4. castle
  5. bastion
  6. fort
Noun
  • To a lesser extent, Republicans have traditionally also had districts that were unopposed in their strongholds with longtime incumbents.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
  • In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed dominated college towns and university counties, while Haley Stevens won more than 60% in Detroit and carried traditional Democratic strongholds.
    — Andrew Cuomo, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of stronghold
Noun
  • One night, a cockroach breaches his citadel, and Pratt swiftly dispatches it.
    — Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Laelaps was sent to chase a fox that was terrorizing the Cadmea, a citadel.
    — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 24 July 2026
Definition of citadel
Noun
  • The historic military fort overlooks the entrance to the Halifax Harbour and boasts old fortifications, historic artifacts, and unbeatable ocean views.
    — Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • That is, in part, because Ukraine has built additional lines of defense with fortifications and minefields.
    — Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2026
Definition of fortification
Noun
  • No matter the time of year, there’s no shortage of iconic attractions in Edinburgh, from its massive castle to Calton Hill and Mary King’s Close, a subterranean living museum beneath the Royal Mile.
    — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Balmoral has been the summer residence of the British royal family since the reign of Queen Victoria, whose husband, Prince Albert, purchased the castle and the surrounding 7,000 acres in 1845.
    — Roberta Mercuri, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of castle
Noun
  • President Emmanuel Macron and others who regard Europe as the last bastion of liberal Western values?
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Choose a walk through the chalky Chiltern Hills, or make the 30-minute drive to Windsor Castle; a bastion of British royalty, it was founded in the 11th century and is the oldest inhabited castle in the world.
    — Katie Silcox, Vogue, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of bastion
Noun
  • The Holy Presentation Church, which was built in 1725 within a fort near Zaporizhzhia and transported to its current location at Beryslav in 1784, is said to be the last surviving example of wooden Cossack architecture in the country.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Kat and Aesha take the guests swimming in some nearby caves while the rest of the crew holds down the fort.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of fort

Browse Nearby Words

fortitude
fortress
fortresses
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Cite this Entry

“Fortress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortress. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fortress

Nglish: Translation of fortress for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fortress

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