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
Democrats see wins in battle for suburbia While some Democratic strongholds buttressed by working class voters have grown redder, the suburbs north of Indianapolis appear to be trending in the opposite direction.
—
Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 23 Oct. 2025
And the housing shortage has spread beyond coastal cities normally dominated by Democrats to rural areas in Republican strongholds.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
The Athletic dips into five games, from outside Europe’s strongholds, that grab the imagination.
—Jack Bantock, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
It was found along the Horus War Road, a chain of strongholds in Sinai that served as a military and commercial artery connecting Egypt with Palestine.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
Now, with many of those proxies weakened, Iraq has become one of the last strongholds of Iranian influence.
—Emma Graham, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2025
State and local officials have pushed back and accused the White House of manufacturing a crisis to justify sending soldiers into Democratic strongholds.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
Los Angeles is one of the last strongholds of apparel production in the United States, and a panel will cover the relationship between nearshoring and reducing fashion’s impact.
—Sj Staff, Sourcing Journal, 9 Oct. 2025
Cities have long been Democratic strongholds, but rising fears over crime and disorder appear to be softening partisan lines.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 23 Oct. 2025
And the housing shortage has spread beyond coastal cities normally dominated by Democrats to rural areas in Republican strongholds.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
The Athletic dips into five games, from outside Europe’s strongholds, that grab the imagination.
—Jack Bantock, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
It was found along the Horus War Road, a chain of strongholds in Sinai that served as a military and commercial artery connecting Egypt with Palestine.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
Now, with many of those proxies weakened, Iraq has become one of the last strongholds of Iranian influence.
—Emma Graham, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2025
State and local officials have pushed back and accused the White House of manufacturing a crisis to justify sending soldiers into Democratic strongholds.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
Los Angeles is one of the last strongholds of apparel production in the United States, and a panel will cover the relationship between nearshoring and reducing fashion’s impact.
—Sj Staff, Sourcing Journal, 9 Oct. 2025
Cities have long been Democratic strongholds, but rising fears over crime and disorder appear to be softening partisan lines.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strongholds
Noun
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For many Americans, universities appear more like fortresses than forums.—
Nicholas Dirks,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
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Sleek architecture marries centuries-old fortresses—while locals swap skis for kayaks, depending on the season.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Instead, Tuttle suffered 10 rejections in a row, including hard passes from indie bastions like Sundance and SXSW.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
8 Oct. 2025
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Sports, one of the last bastions of bipartisan broadcast TV viewing, is apt to keep the network-station binary from completely dissolving.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Parts of those medieval fortifications can still be seen today in the museum’s lower levels.—
Barney Henderson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
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Historians believe the castle featured living quarters and fortifications, plus courtyards, kitchens, houses and workshops.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
30 Sep. 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
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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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And, at least until recently, the government has proven unwilling or unable to try and storm the castles.—
NPR,
NPR,
21 Oct. 2025
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As the series progressed, Carter went on to construct a highly believable world of Roy, with a sequence of meticulously outfitted penthouses, lofts, vacation homes, and castles, as well as private jets, yachts, a corporate boardroom, and a TV newsroom.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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It’s made of dense foam pieces, including a base, cushion and two triangle pillows, allowing kiddos to create forts and obstacle courses along with sturdy, comfortable seating.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
23 Oct. 2025
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When Columbus instructed settlers to build forts in large towns, Taínos attacked the settlers in large numbers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strongholds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strongholds. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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