fortification
Americannoun
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the act of fortifying or strengthening.
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something that fortifies or protects.
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the art or science of constructing defensive military works.
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Often fortifications. military works constructed for the purpose of strengthening a position; a fort.
Supposedly impregnable, the fortifications were quickly overrun.
- Synonyms:
- bulwark, stronghold, citadel, fortress
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a strengthening or improvement, as by addition of or intensification with another ingredient.
the fortification of milk with vitamin D; the fortification of wine with alcohol.
noun
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the act, art, or science of fortifying or strengthening
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a wall, mound, etc, used to fortify a place
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such works collectively
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any place that can be militarily defended
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fortification
1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin fortificātiōn- (stem of fortificātiō ), equivalent to fortificāt ( us ) fortified ( see fortify, -ate 1) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A fortification is a strong wall, building, or other reinforced structure that's used to defend against attack. In medieval times, castle fortifications protected them from invading armies. If you've ever built a fort in your living room or back yard, you know what a fortification is—fort is the shortened form, and the source word is the Latin fortificare, "make strong." Another meaning of fortification is "the act of making something (or someone) stronger," so you might talk about the fortification your math team got from taking an online calculus class or the fortification of your favorite breakfast cereal with vitamins.
Vocabulary lists containing fortification
Stay Strong: Forc and Fort
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Life Is So Good
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The Last Olympian
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fortifications are certainly part of the Ukrainian defence but so is the topography.
From BBC • Aug. 20, 2025
Fortifications are being built near a Wagner Group tent city in eastern Belarus.
From Washington Times • Aug. 2, 2023
Fortifications included ammunition crates loaded with sand and thick candy bar wrappers bundled in rolls and used to shore up shattered windows instead of sandbags.
From New York Times • Apr. 3, 2022
Fortifications at Jamestown were built to ward off Spanish attacks, Kelso says.
From Scientific American • Jul. 28, 2015
And then, the DAWN, Fruition — the miraculous Dawn— when the Sun rose above the Eastern Sea, & our Fortifications were REVEALED.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
