stronghold

noun

strong·​hold ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld How to pronounce stronghold (audio)
1
: a fortified place
2
a
: a place of security or survival
one of the last strongholds of the ancient Gaelic languageGeorge Holmes
b
: a place dominated by a particular group or marked by a particular characteristic
a Republican stronghold
strongholds of snobberyLionel Trilling

Examples 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
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.
The county is a conservative stronghold located about an hour north of Phoenix. Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 6 Nov. 2024 Compared With Biden, Hillary Clinton The first big slate of states to begin polling includes most of New England, including Democratic strongholds such as New York and Virginia. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 The district, in Northwest Indiana, is made up of steel-belt cities like Gary and Hammond and has historically been considered a Democratic stronghold. Jake Allen, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Nov. 2024 The district was a Democratic stronghold for decades but was recently redrawn to be much more competitive and is considered a toss-up. Democrats, citing internal polls, say Davis is safe. Mike Lillis, The Hill, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for stronghold 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stronghold was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near stronghold

Cite this Entry

“Stronghold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stronghold. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

stronghold

noun
strong·​hold ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld How to pronounce stronghold (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on stronghold

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