as in fortress
a structure or place from which one can resist attack
the island was the pirates' last stronghold in the West Indies
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stronghold
In fact, the tax relief in the governor’s proposal would still benefit wealthy homeowners, and DeSantis has touted Florida as a safe haven for billionaires disillusioned with liberal strongholds like California and New York.
—
Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 3 June 2026
Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton counties have long been Democratic strongholds, while Cobb and Gwinnett have shifted increasingly toward Democrats in recent election cycles.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 3 June 2026
While an open Senate seat does not make Montana, which has long been considered a Republican stronghold, necessarily competitive for Democrats, an independent candidate is outraising candidates in both major parties.
—Saige Miller, NPR, 2 June 2026
Democrats have not won the governor’s office in Georgia since 2002, though the state has evolved from a Republican stronghold to a fiercely competitive battleground over the past decade.
—Nik Popli, Time, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stronghold
Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 3 June 2026
Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton counties have long been Democratic strongholds, while Cobb and Gwinnett have shifted increasingly toward Democrats in recent election cycles.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 3 June 2026
While an open Senate seat does not make Montana, which has long been considered a Republican stronghold, necessarily competitive for Democrats, an independent candidate is outraising candidates in both major parties.
—Saige Miller, NPR, 2 June 2026
Democrats have not won the governor’s office in Georgia since 2002, though the state has evolved from a Republican stronghold to a fiercely competitive battleground over the past decade.
—Nik Popli, Time, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stronghold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stronghold
Noun
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Today, visitors can explore the fortress, spread out for a picnic on the green lawn and take in sweeping views of America’s Oldest City from the gun deck.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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Perhaps the best way to understand Helsinki’s origins is to take the short ferry ride across the harbor to the island-fortress of Suomenlinna (now a popular park).—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
10 June 2026
Noun
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In a city flush with newness, Dan Tana's is a quintessential red-sauce joint and bastion of Old Hollywood.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 June 2026
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The pair bonded over their health journeys, and Hatton’s mother said that the prince and princess had been bastions of compassion up until her daughter’s death.—
Stephanie Bridger-Linning,
Vanity Fair,
9 June 2026
Noun
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One of the oldest citadels in the Middle East, Jerash has seen an unbroken chain of human occupation since the Bronze Age.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
3 June 2026
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Paton, 52, was in Peru with his wife to hike the Inca Trail, a popular route that ends at Machu Picchu, a citadel built by the Incas in the 15th century.—
Sam Peters,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Noun
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Built with thick walls of coquina, the Castillo remains the oldest masonry fortification in the continental United States.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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In the 4th century, a defensive wall was constructed in response to instability and military pressures, leading to the fortification of urban settlements.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
7 June 2026
Noun
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From a castle built by a Sherlock Holmes actor in Connecticut to lava fields in Idaho that helped train astronauts, these destinations showcase the beauty, ingenuity and delightful weirdness that make the United States unique.—
Staff,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
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Gaudí's basilica could be described like a sand castle on a beach.—
Seth Doane,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
Noun
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The brothers spent hours playing around their grandmother’s house—climbing trees, building forts, and racing through cornfields—but their home life was fraught.—
Heidi Blake,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
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Couples can also take a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park, a remote national park that's more than 99 percent underwater and world-famous for its snorkeling and 19th-century coastal fort.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stronghold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stronghold. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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