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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Recent Examples of strongholds
McDonald said DeSantis also could be trying to shore up Republican strongholds to mitigate the losses generally experienced by the party in power during midterm elections.
—
Mike Schneider, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Immigration operations that started last summer in liberal strongholds such as Chicago,Los Angeles and Portland also generated large protests.
—Nicholas Riccardi, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
These forces hold a patchwork of strongholds, primarily in the central province of Marib, parts of Taiz, and Aden in the south.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 2 Jan. 2026
The Patriots opened the season with two wins but then sustained two losses, all against strongholds from outside the county.
—Glae Thien, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
The Islamic State West African Province -- an IS affiliate in Nigeria -- has its strongholds in the northeastern part of the country, where it is currently involved in a power struggle with its parent organization, Boko Haram.
—Ope Adetayo, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2025
The President has also deployed federal troops to several other Democratic strongholds in what the White House has characterized as an effort to combat crime.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
Plus, weakening a small number of Republican strongholds in favor of a greater number of Republican-leaning districts could backfire if next year's elections are a wave in Democrats' favor.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 6 Dec. 2025
Compared with strongholds like Disney and Universal, the amusement-park corporation has faced closures and layoffs and relied on investors such as Travis Kelce to stay afloat.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
Mike Schneider, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Immigration operations that started last summer in liberal strongholds such as Chicago,Los Angeles and Portland also generated large protests.
—Nicholas Riccardi, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
These forces hold a patchwork of strongholds, primarily in the central province of Marib, parts of Taiz, and Aden in the south.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 2 Jan. 2026
The Patriots opened the season with two wins but then sustained two losses, all against strongholds from outside the county.
—Glae Thien, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
The Islamic State West African Province -- an IS affiliate in Nigeria -- has its strongholds in the northeastern part of the country, where it is currently involved in a power struggle with its parent organization, Boko Haram.
—Ope Adetayo, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2025
The President has also deployed federal troops to several other Democratic strongholds in what the White House has characterized as an effort to combat crime.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
Plus, weakening a small number of Republican strongholds in favor of a greater number of Republican-leaning districts could backfire if next year's elections are a wave in Democrats' favor.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 6 Dec. 2025
Compared with strongholds like Disney and Universal, the amusement-park corporation has faced closures and layoffs and relied on investors such as Travis Kelce to stay afloat.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strongholds
Noun
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Verdant hillsides dotted with colorful cottages and colonial-era fortresses reveal a vibrant city life.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Jan. 2026
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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
Noun
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In her conversations with health officials around the country, Balfour has found that there is increasing backlash towards the growing number of people who are unhoused, even in liberal bastions such as San Francisco and Seattle.—
O. Rose Broderick,
STAT,
2 Jan. 2026
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After tenures at Atlanta bastions like Miller Union, pastry chef Claudia Martinez is now taking the driver’s seat with a star-studded crew behind her.—
Su-Jit Lin,
Southern Living,
17 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Passmore’s magisterial, revisionist account of the Maginot Line—the network of French fortifications built in the 1920s and 1930s to stop a German invasion—challenges the conventional understanding of its role in World War II.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
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Ammunition, uniforms, and fortifications contribute to GDP but do not improve long-term welfare or capital formation.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
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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
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The Windsors’ real estate portfolio is far from shabby, but the centuries-old castles lack a personal touch from their modern-day inhabitants.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
12 Jan. 2026
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At the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, ice artists create walk-through castles with tunnels, slides and frozen fountains etched into natural-looking formations.—
Ginger Crichton,
Midwest Living,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Our chairs are for sitting on, not for constructing elaborate forts.—
Eddie Small,
New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2026
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From ancient forts and settlements to Roman roads, some of England’s most impressive Neolithic monuments can be found here.—
Andrea Bussell,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strongholds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strongholds. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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