fortitude

[fawr-ti-tood, -tyood]

noun

1. mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation courageously.

   Never once did her fortitude waver during that long illness.

fortitude

/ ˈfɔːtɪˌtjuːd /

noun

1. strength and firmness of mind; resolute endurance

Other Word Forms

• fortitudinous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fortitude¹

First recorded 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin fortitūdō “strength, firmness, courage,” equivalent to forti(s) “strong” + -tūdō noun suffix ( -tude )

Word History and Origins

Origin of fortitude¹

C15: from Latin fortitūdō courage

Synonym Study

See patience.

Example Sentences

What always struck me was his fortitude to just keep going forward.

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So here we are, L.A., in a moment that requires fortitude, requires insight, requires us to stand up and say the most ridiculous thing that has every been said in a town full of absurdity:

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“The Grand Finale” even gives Edith a satisfying moment of fortitude when she stands up for the family.

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Yamamoto downplayed his psychological fortitude that was required to regroup in the wake of his Game 1 calamity, describing his turnaround as a function of his ability to identify problems and remedy them.

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Sometimes we speak about our immigrant or working-class roots as if our forebears had passed on their fortitude, or that reserve of desperation that made them press forward, to do what they had to do.

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Related Words

• boldness 
• bravery 
• courage 
• determination 
• endurance 
• fearlessness www.thesaurus.com
• firmness www.thesaurus.com
• grit 
• mettle 
• moxie 
• nerve 
• patience 
• perseverance 
• pluck 
• spunk 
• stamina 
• staying power 
• tenacity 
• valor 

When To Use

What is fortitude?

Fortitude is mental or emotional strength in facing something difficult, as in Lillie stayed sane on the deserted island thanks to her intense mental fortitude.Fortitude refers to mental or emotional strength rather than physical or bodily strength, as in During the pandemic, Kasha wrote poetry to maintain her mental fortitude. But you can use words like strength, power, and intensity as synonyms for fortitude if you are talking specifically about mental or emotional strength.The adjective form of fortitude is fortitudinous, as in The fortitudinous soldiers never even considered retreating.Example: You could never tell June was suffering from illness due to her amazing fortitude.