: a fortified place : stronghold
especially
: a large and permanent fortification sometimes including a town
Examples of fortress in a Sentence
the boys built a snow fortress and then challenged the neighborhood kids to an in-your-face snowball fight
Recent Examples on the Web
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
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
Metal fencing, some 20 feet high, surrounds the perimeter while a slew of metal detectors and X-ray machines await those who breach the fortress.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
After previous coaches played home matches away from the timeless and intimidating Defensores del Chaco national stadium in Asunción, Alfaro restored that hallowed ground as Paraguay’s footballing fortress.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fortress
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.
Usa Today Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026
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
Metal fencing, some 20 feet high, surrounds the perimeter while a slew of metal detectors and X-ray machines await those who breach the fortress.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
After previous coaches played home matches away from the timeless and intimidating Defensores del Chaco national stadium in Asunción, Alfaro restored that hallowed ground as Paraguay’s footballing fortress.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fortress
Cite this Entry
“Fortress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fortress. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fortress
noun
for·tress
ˈfȯr-trəs 
: a fortified place
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
