as in fortress
a structure or place from which one can resist attack
the island was the pirates' last stronghold in the West Indies
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Recent Examples of stronghold
The funeral ceremonies for Khamenei are expected to begin in Tehran, and the procession will move to Qom, a stronghold of many senior Shiite clerics, and then to Mashhad, his birthplace.
—
Munir Ahmed, Fortune, 11 June 2026
Once a stronghold of canneries and lumber mills, the town has numerous tumbledown Victorians that have long been havens for artists, brewers, and various eccentrics—along with fans of The Goonies, who make pilgrimages to see where the seminal movie was shot.
—David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026
Multiple explosions rocked the Dahieh district, a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut, after the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings for residents in parts of the area.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 7 June 2026
Her new book, From Life Itself, narrates the turbulent decade between 2015 and 2025 as it was seen and heard on the streets of Karagümrük, a working-class neighborhood of Istanbul and a stronghold of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party.
—Suzy Hansen, The New York Review of Books, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stronghold
Munir Ahmed, Fortune, 11 June 2026
Once a stronghold of canneries and lumber mills, the town has numerous tumbledown Victorians that have long been havens for artists, brewers, and various eccentrics—along with fans of The Goonies, who make pilgrimages to see where the seminal movie was shot.
—David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026
Multiple explosions rocked the Dahieh district, a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut, after the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings for residents in parts of the area.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 7 June 2026
Her new book, From Life Itself, narrates the turbulent decade between 2015 and 2025 as it was seen and heard on the streets of Karagümrük, a working-class neighborhood of Istanbul and a stronghold of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party.
—Suzy Hansen, The New York Review of Books, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stronghold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stronghold
Noun
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Today, visitors can explore the fortress, spread out for a picnic on the green lawn and take in sweeping views of America’s Oldest City from the gun deck.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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Perhaps the best way to understand Helsinki’s origins is to take the short ferry ride across the harbor to the island-fortress of Suomenlinna (now a popular park).—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
10 June 2026
Noun
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For instance, the conservative rural North State would be denied any real representation as the district would swoop down to take in Marin County, the liberal bastion just north of the Golden Gate Bridge.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
19 Aug. 2025
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The bastion, the fortifications, the views all shape the mood for diners.—
Liza B. Zimmerman,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
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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After all, this is a hotel built into a citadel from the Middle Ages, though with a pool, spa, and pain au chocolats on hand, guests here are living eons better than the Gallo-Romans used to.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 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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The party will continue on Tuesday morning with a special birthday moment for park guests in front of the castle which is the tallest in any Disney park and the only one to contain a boat ride.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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Between Christmas towns, kids can splash around in the small indoor pool or patrol the top deck for Elsa-worthy castles lining the banks of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley.—
Ashlea Halpern,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
Noun
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DuPage County prosecutors said, On Saturday, a 9-year-old boy and some friends were building a fort on the 1400 block of West Jefferson Avenue, when a girl damaged the fort.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
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With all that activity, small-time Helsinki took off, becoming a boomtown in support of the grand strategic fort.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stronghold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stronghold. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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