stronghold
noun
strong·hold
ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld 
1
: a fortified place
2
a
: a place of security or survival
… one of the last strongholds of the ancient Gaelic language …—
George Holmes
George Holmes
b
: a place dominated by a particular group or marked by a particular characteristic
a Republican/Democratic stronghold
strongholds of snobbery—Lionel Trilling
Lionel TrillingExamples of stronghold in a Sentence
The area is a Republican stronghold.
The rebels retreated to their mountain stronghold.
the last stronghold of the endangered deer
Recent Examples on the Web
Omar Ali Abdi, Somalia’s state minister for defense, told the Associated Press that locations in Lower Shabelle, including Jilib Marka, Gendershe and Dhanaane, which had long served as Shabab strongholds, are now in military hands.
—Omar Faruk, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
The communities that arose there became, to a near-comical degree, temporary cultural strongholds, crammed with artists, musicians, medics, and academics.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
Overwhelmingly Latino and long a Democratic stronghold, the county has shifted sharply right in recent statewide races, backing Trump with 59% of its vote.
—Aarón Torres, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
These losses have been particularly notable in historically Black strongholds like Bedford-Stuyvesant and Harlem.
—Naomi Jackson, Curbed, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stronghold
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Omar Faruk, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
The communities that arose there became, to a near-comical degree, temporary cultural strongholds, crammed with artists, musicians, medics, and academics.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
Overwhelmingly Latino and long a Democratic stronghold, the county has shifted sharply right in recent statewide races, backing Trump with 59% of its vote.
—Aarón Torres, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
These losses have been particularly notable in historically Black strongholds like Bedford-Stuyvesant and Harlem.
—Naomi Jackson, Curbed, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stronghold
Cite this Entry
“Stronghold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stronghold. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stronghold
noun
strong·hold
ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld
: fortress
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