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as in stronghold
a structure or place from which one can resist attack the guerillas retreated to their network of hidden fastnesses deep within the mountains

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 fastness The system ensures good wet-rubbing and dry-rubbing fastness and softness on all kinds of fabrics. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 30 Dec. 2024 Tat-Fung’s Downtown collection of blue, black and gray fabrics outperform conventional denim in color fastness, according to Tim Huesemann, the mill’s sales director. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2024 This advancement enables dyeing with Basic dyes, promising enhanced dye uptake and superior wash fastness compared to traditional Reactive dyes. Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 13 Sep. 2024 The Neutral Ground had cowboys (or Cow Boys), Indians, cavalry attacks and rescues, and secret woodland fastnesses known only to the canniest frontiersman. Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024 The technology uses specific formaldehyde-free agents to enhance the dyeing process of raw garments, resulting in a bright and deep indigo color, improving wash and rubbing fastness, and increasing lightfastness and levelness. Andrea Onate, WWD, 12 June 2024 Fearing extermination, members of the Yezidi sect fled to their ancestral fastness on Mount Sinjar. Timothy William Waters, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2016 Branagh returns as Hercule Poirot, who has retired to a Venetian fastness. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2023 When using natural dyes, there tend to be issues with color fastness and shade consistency. Esha Chhabra, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fastness
Noun
  • Only one American has won three golds at one Winter Olympics — fellow Wisconsin speed skater Eric Heiden.
    Tim Genske, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
  • And hurricane-force gusts can roar across the base at speeds of up to 125 mph.
    Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Even before Trump's tariff salvo, European officials had been debating potential imposition of digital services taxes aimed at large U.S. tech firms, many of which are based in or politically aligned with Republican strongholds such as Texas and Florida.
    Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The narrowing margins may signal a shift in public sentiment, driven by unusually strong Democratic enthusiasm in a traditionally Republican stronghold.
    Kate Payne, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • After all, Trump has proven in the past that his loyalty is conditional.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Republicans tried to recast the contest as a chance for Trump’s base to come out and show their loyalty to him and push back against judges Trump claims treat him and his administration unfairly.
    Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 2 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Throughout the past decade, pitchers have turned their focus to training techniques that increase their average velocity and the over-all movement of the ball—even at the expense of throwing strikes.
    Lindsey Adler, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2025
  • The new one also has more velocity, moving in the high 70s, about 10 mph faster than his old one.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Back in the fortress, the Man of Steel scolds Krypto for wrecking the joint while he was gone.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2025
  • The tower’s slender triangles look diaphanous from a distance, but from the sidewalk the building resembles a fortress, with a 186-foot concrete-and-steel base safeguarding the 94 stories above from bombings.
    David W. Dunlap, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • He’s left with Chrissy and Mitch, who have little allegiance to him.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Unlike many others in Indiana who rooted for in-state schools Indiana, Purdue or Notre Dame, Smith didn’t have an allegiance to one program.
    Tim Casey, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The current election pits former Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel, now a circuit court judge in conservative-leaning Waukesha County, against Susan Crawford, a judge in Dane County, the state’s liberal bastion.
    Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Another common bastion of toxic positivity lies in performance feedback processes.
    Tracy Lawrence, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • That demands real action, dedication, and daily commitment.
    Hilary Tetenbaum, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
  • His father, an attorney of Irish immigrant descent, worked tirelessly while his mother managed their household of six children with the same dedication.
    Omaid Homayun, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fastness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fastness. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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