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

b

: a place dominated by a particular group or marked by a particular characteristic

a Republican stronghold

strongholds of snobbery

—Lionel Trilling

Synonyms

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

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

The tunnels were discovered by experts from the Polytechnic University of Milan, who used ground-penetrating radar and laser scanners to map the 15th-century stronghold’s subterranean structures. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025

Jenin has been a militant stronghold, and an airstrike killed 10 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 22 Jan. 2025

All that changed during two months in the fall of 2024, when Israel wiped out much of Hezbollah's leadership, invaded its military in the south, and battered its strongholds in Beirut and the Bekaa Valley. —Daniel Markind, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025

This is a global concern, since South Africa is a key stronghold for the species and holds more white rhinos than any other country. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

stronghold

noun

strong·​hold ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld 

: fortress