as in strongholds
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
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Recent Examples of fortresses
Surface tanks are targets; subsurface reservoirs are fortresses.
—
Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
France believed its Maginot Line of fortresses was impregnable – until the Germans simply went around it.
—New Atlas, 19 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, history buffs will love exploring the island’s capital via colorful Spanish-colonial architecture and imposing, ancient fortresses like La Fortaleza and El Morro.
—Brittany Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Collective investments in resilience are cheaper than everyone building their own fortresses.
—Haley Ott, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Tour the fortresses, stroll through the town’s central market, and visit Spianada Square, the largest square in Greece.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2026
While the prison grounds have no high fences, the prison units exist as separate fortresses, successors to the long wooden barracks that were once here.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
Secure capitals While both India and Pakistan have historically faced significant security threats, their capitals are meant to be fortresses – home to the seats of government, military leadership, and the diplomatic corps.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2025
Andermatt, Switzerland High in the Alps, where trains wind through snowbound passes and peaks rise like fortresses, Andermatt is one of Switzerland’s most dynamic winter destinations.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 7 Nov. 2025
Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
France believed its Maginot Line of fortresses was impregnable – until the Germans simply went around it.
—New Atlas, 19 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, history buffs will love exploring the island’s capital via colorful Spanish-colonial architecture and imposing, ancient fortresses like La Fortaleza and El Morro.
—Brittany Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Collective investments in resilience are cheaper than everyone building their own fortresses.
—Haley Ott, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Tour the fortresses, stroll through the town’s central market, and visit Spianada Square, the largest square in Greece.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 15 Jan. 2026
While the prison grounds have no high fences, the prison units exist as separate fortresses, successors to the long wooden barracks that were once here.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
Secure capitals While both India and Pakistan have historically faced significant security threats, their capitals are meant to be fortresses – home to the seats of government, military leadership, and the diplomatic corps.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2025
Andermatt, Switzerland High in the Alps, where trains wind through snowbound passes and peaks rise like fortresses, Andermatt is one of Switzerland’s most dynamic winter destinations.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortresses
Noun
-
In Dallas and Tarrant counties, considered Crockett strongholds, Democratic turnout was up by about 325% from 2022.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Davids picked up more rural constituents in Miami, Franklin, and Anderson counties during the last round of partisan redistricting in 2022, when state lawmakers drew Lawrence and northern Wyandotte County — both progressive strongholds — out of the 3rd Congressional District.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the deadly strike was caused by an Iranian weapon that made it through both air defenses and the operations center's fortifications.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
An excavator was levelling the ground to build more fortifications.—
Elizabeth Flock,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
City types of a certain age have been dismayed at the loss of one of the Square Mile’s bastions.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Even among these bastions of heritage, however, few private domains can match the singular grandeur of Hillandale.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The story is a bit murkier than Manichaean talk of stormers and citadels.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Intelsat’s leadership rapidly green-lighted the campaign to set up internet citadels.—
Kevin Holden Platt,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The Crusaders built fortified castles to protect their new territories, and the two sides traded control of those territories over the centuries, until the era ended in 1291.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Schedule a tour of the distillery in the morning, then take the short drive to Dunluce Castle, one of the most picturesque castles in the country.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
History buffs can explore forts, museums, and historic homes, while art aficionados discover vibrant street murals, world-class collections, and intimate galleries tucked away in seaside towns.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Mar. 2026
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The Royal African Company had acquired forts, ships, and the necessary infrastructure to traffic more than a hundred thousand people from one continent to another.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fortresses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortresses. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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