fortress

noun

for·​tress ˈfȯr-trəs 

: a fortified place : stronghold

especially : a large and permanent fortification sometimes including a town

fortresslike

ˈfȯr-trəs-līk 

adjective

Synonyms

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

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

The Castillo de San Sebastián, a crumbling 18th-century fortress at the end of a long causeway in Cádiz, Spain, was locked behind an iron gate. —Christopher Bagley, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2025

Meanwhile, the road appears to connect a fortress gate to the center of the site. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2025

Why Florida’s Billionaire Set Is Flocking to Manalapan Perched a mere 17 feet above sea level with 120 feet of direct ocean frontage, this tropical contemporary fortress clocks in at over 11,000 square feet, plus a 3,000-square-foot sky deck with unobstructed views of the Atlantic. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 9 May 2025

Locals still whisper of ancient spirits that wander these stone corridors, keeping watch over a fortress that remained largely forgotten until its fateful 1911 rediscovery. —Jennifer Kester, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English forteresse, from Anglo-French fortelesce, forteresse, from Medieval Latin fortalitia, from Latin fortis strong

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

fortress

noun

for·​tress ˈfȯr-trəs 

: a fortified place