: a fortified place : stronghold
especially
: a large and permanent fortification sometimes including a town
Synonyms
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
With no end to the war in sight and lacking effective air defense, Kharkiv gradually has turned from a fortress of resilience into a fortress of solitude.
—
Katya Soldak, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
The only representations they were allowed were through mass media or images of migrants on canoes collapsing in front of European fortresses.
—Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2024
International law experts say Israel still has a responsibility to protect civilians even if Hamas exploits them.
City Center
Within the city of Khan Younis, only one citadel wall remains of its Mamluk-era fortress, ground away by centuries and wars past.
—Raja Abdulrahim, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2024
The fortress, known as Apsaros, lies along Georgia’s western coast in what is now the town of Gonio.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fortress 
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.
Katya Soldak, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
The only representations they were allowed were through mass media or images of migrants on canoes collapsing in front of European fortresses.
—Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2024
International law experts say Israel still has a responsibility to protect civilians even if Hamas exploits them.
City Center
Within the city of Khan Younis, only one citadel wall remains of its Mamluk-era fortress, ground away by centuries and wars past.
—Raja Abdulrahim, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2024
The fortress, known as Apsaros, lies along Georgia’s western coast in what is now the town of Gonio.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fortress
Dictionary Entries Near fortress
Cite this Entry
“Fortress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fortress. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fortress
noun
for·tress
ˈfȯr-trəs 
: a fortified place
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share