fortresses

noun

plural of fortress
as in strongholds
a structure or place from which one can resist attack the boys built a snow fortress and then challenged the neighborhood kids to an in-your-face snowball fight

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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 fortresses Surface tanks are targets; subsurface reservoirs are fortresses. — Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026 The trailers show that Eternia was once a vibrant alien-like world with multi-colored forests, massive mountains and fortresses with towering faces carved into their entrances. — Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026 And by the turn of the twenty-first century, most of those tiny bungalows had been replaced by sprawling estates—fortresses for the entertainment elite, where Oscar trophies adorned mantels and wealth guarded from disaster. — Literary Hub, 13 May 2026 The hilltop structures were originally built as Catholic shrines dedicated to the virgins they're named after, but were turned into military fortresses in the early 1800s—they have since been rehabilitated for tourism. — Christin Parcerisa Vigueras, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2026 Some, like France's Maginot Line, became border fortresses stretching for miles, while German coastal defenses sat on the cliffs of Normandy, requiring the Allies to take out with sea bombardments and direct infantry assaults. — David Szondy june 23, New Atlas, 23 June 2026 Any pivot toward diplomacy that includes sanctions relief — whether proposed in Washington or Berlin — ignores the fundamental Machiavellian truth that a regime hated by its own people cannot be saved by its external fortresses, but it can be artificially sustained by foreign gold. — Liram Koblentz-Stenzler, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026 While typical apparel brands struggle with changing seasonal trends and thin profits, giants such as LVMH, Christian Dior, Hermès, Richemont and Nike have built financial fortresses. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 29 June 2026 The eccentric design of Olana was inspired by fortresses in Persia (where, curiously, Church hadn’t travelled), as well as Italian, East Indian, Gothic Revival, and French Second Empire architecture. — Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortresses
  1. strongholds
  2. fortifications
  3. bastions
  4. citadels
  5. castles
  6. forts
Noun
  • According to the indictment made public this week, the Hoovers had strongholds over specific hotels and motels in their territory, including the Stadium Inn & Spas.
    — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Local communities, including Republican strongholds in Georgia and Mississippi, voiced opposition to the projects, staging protests outside the warehouses and derailing city council meetings.
    — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 June 2026
Definition of strongholds
Noun
  • By the Second World War, pillboxes had become standard defense fortifications.
    — David Szondy June 23, New Atlas, 23 June 2026
  • Cannons and fortifications are also on the grounds.
    — USA TODAY Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026
Definition of fortifications
Noun
  • These organizations claim to be bastions of journalism, Defenders of Democracy, and heroes in the fight for truth in government.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026
  • Bored Lord and AceMo, longtime bastions of their respective coastal scenes, offer up two rumbling club heaters.
    — Benny Sun, Pitchfork, 17 June 2026
Definition of bastions
Noun
  • 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
  • The story is a bit murkier than Manichaean talk of stormers and citadels.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Definition of citadels
Noun
  • Scenic cruising through the Moselle Valley reveals a landscape of steep vineyards and hilltop castles, complemented by AmaWaterways’ exclusive tour of Burg Lahneck Castle and its storied past.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 June 2026
  • The figures for the first time give the public a concrete idea about the King’s personal wealth, as opposed to the castles, jewels and artwork that go with the job but aren’t the monarch’s personal property.
    — Danica Kirka, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of castles
Noun
  • Havana, Cuba — Cuba’s tourism sector seems to have everything from white sandy beaches to Spanish colonial forts.
    — Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • In its early years, the flag was primarily used on battlefields, military forts, and ships as a form of identification.
    — Pete Cuddihy, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of forts

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Cite this Entry

“Fortresses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortresses. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of fortresses for Spanish Speakers

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