fortified

American  

[fawr-tuh-fahyd] / ˈfɔr təˌfaɪd /

adjective

1. protected or strengthened against attack; provided with defensive military works.

   Jim’s platoon was the reserve force for his company's coordinated assault on a heavily fortified hill.

2. given strength or vigor, as by food or drink.

   She rejoined her companions, toting snacks and goodies in her pack, and the newly fortified hikers continued on their way the next day.

3. Nutrition. having one or more ingredients added, as vitamins, minerals, etc., to increase nutritional value.

   The fortified flour helps reduce anemia and enhance micronutrient uptake.

4. (of wine or the like) having extra alcohol added.

   Marsala, a fortified wine sweetened with concentrated grape juice, comes from Sicily.

5. strengthened mentally or morally.

   From this new perspective, he looked upon the impossible task with fortified courage.

6. having ingredients, elements, or features added in order to increase effectiveness or withstand strain or wear.

   The new, fortified design standards aim at strengthening buildings and infrastructure against high winds, flooding, and fire.

---

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of fortify.

Other Word Forms

• unfortified adjective
• well-fortified adjective

Etymology

Origin of fortified

fortify ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

Fortified means strengthened or protected. When you've taken lots of vitamins, you should be fortified against getting sick! A fortified place is somewhere, like a military fort, where you are protected from danger, perhaps because you are high up on a hill or because your walls are built of iron. A fortified outfit would be a suit of armor. Fortified can also describe foods that have been supplied with added nutrients. Fortified milk might include added vitamin D, to ensure that you are getting your recommended supply.

Example Sentences

After splashdown, a separate Armstrong Flight Research Center team will collect a fortified sensor affixed to the exterior of the capsule that is designed to study the heat shield up close.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

“Government officials live on military bases or other sorts of fortified zones in authoritarian regimes.”

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

Four spent their military service stationed near the heavily fortified inter-Korean border, known for barbed wire, harsh winters and intense training.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

Decades of automotive efficiency gains, America’s conversion from oil importer to exporter and the advent of renewables have fortified the world economy against sudden drops in Gulf supplies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

By 1963, the South Vietnamese government had relocated more than five million farmers to heavily fortified villages.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge

Related Words

• barricaded
• covered
• guarded
• protected
• reinforced
• secured
• strengthened
• walled