Thesaurus results for STRONGHOLDS

strongholds

noun

plural of stronghold

as in fortresses

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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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 strongholds 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 Ultimately, Farage decided that his party would only run candidates in areas that had traditionally been strongholds for Labour, in hopes of peeling off voters who couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Conservatives. — Nick Tabor, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Aug. 2026 The legislation outlines processes for conditional amnesties and the reintegration of thousands of Kurds, including armed combatants who have lived or operated from strongholds in neighboring Iran, Iraq, and Syria for decades. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 11 Aug. 2026 Combined with relatively intact northern river systems and low human population densities across much of the region, those protections have helped preserve one of the species' last strongholds. — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 The results underscored a statewide consensus, with Democratic strongholds and many of Missouri’s most Republican counties alike rejecting both proposals. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026 Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming have five congressional seats between them, all of which are Republican strongholds. — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026 Continue reading … URBAN BET — Coastal workers fleeing blue strongholds could create an opportunity for Detroit. — FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for strongholds

Noun

The area’s landscape charms visitors with its green hills, rural farmland, and dramatic medieval castles and fortresses.

— Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of fortresses

Noun

Perhaps because the Venice Biennale remains one of the few bastions in the world defending freedom of expression, regardless of geographical origin or nationality.

— John Bleasdale, Variety, 19 Aug. 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 bastions

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 fortifications

Noun

Though the song is heavily acoustic, its distorted guitar solos hail squarely from the realm of harder rock, and the artificial choirs that seep in toward the end seem to call out to the symphonic citadels of the Norwegian black metallers.

— Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 19 July 2026
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

Definition of citadels

Noun

Royal experts point to the Cotswolds, a scenic and quintessentially English area made up of rolling hills, castles and country houses as the top contender for the Sussexes location of choice.

— Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
This land of wide open spaces, ancient churches and castles, and vast sunflower fields, all baking under the blinding August Sun, seemed like the perfect location to enter the path of totality.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of castles

Noun

The tour, led by Bruce Racond of Revolutionary Tours, promised to take curious attendees to sites rarely seen above 100th Street, from cascading waterfalls to Revolutionary forts.

— Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
Increasing Spanish costs for defense, such as building forts and training militia, led to higher taxes and strained local economies.

— Lindsay Schakenbach Regele, The Conversation, 13 July 2026

Definition of forts

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“Strongholds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strongholds. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of strongholds

noun

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