fortification

noun

for·​ti·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌfȯr-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

1

: an act or process of fortifying

2

: something that fortifies, defends, or strengthens

especially : works erected to defend a place or position

Did you know?

In the Middle Ages, many European cities were entirely enclosed by sturdy walls, with walkways along the top and towers at intervals, designed to make an invasion impossible. A water-filled ditch, or moat, might run alongside the wall for added defense. Such defenses turned the entire city into a fort, or fortress. Over the centuries, fortifications changed steadily with the development of new weaponry. In World War II, the German fortification of the French coast included antitank barriers, bunkers, minefields, and underwater obstacles, but it wasn't enough to turn back the immense force of the Allied invasion on D-day.

Synonyms

• bastion
• castle
• citadel
• fastness
• fort
• fortress
• hold
• redoubt
• stronghold

Examples of fortification in a Sentence

They began the fortification and reconstruction of the city.

defenders at the border fortifications preparing for an attack

Recent Examples on the Web

It was built to protect Florida and the Atlantic trade route, and is now the oldest masonry fortification on the continent, interpreting more than 450 years of cultural intersections. —Food Drink Life, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025

Once an important feudal stronghold deep in the Japanese Alps, Matsumoto is known today for its towering castle; arguably the most stunning fortification in the entire country with its black-onyx trim and turquoise moat filled with curious koi. —Brandon Presser, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2025

The Great Wall of China wasn’t a single construction project, but rather a series of defensive and border fortifications linked over hundreds of years under the direction of multiple royal dynasties. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 20 Feb. 2025

At the same time, in Asia, the United States abandoned plans for naval modernization and regional fortification but imposed increasingly severe sanctions on Japan, intensifying Tokyo’s perception of Washington as both hostile and vulnerable—thereby paving the road to the attack on Pearl Harbor. —Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fortification

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

fortification

noun

for·​ti·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌfȯrt-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

1

: the act of fortifying

2

: a construction built for defense