fortitude
Americannoun
noun
Usage
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.
Synonym Usage
See patience.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fortitude
First recorded 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin fortitūdō “strength, firmness, courage,” equivalent to forti(s) “strong” + -tūdō noun suffix ( see -tude)
Explanation
Fortitude refers to strength in the face of adversity or difficulty. Eating fried worms might require a lot of intestinal fortitude. When someone has fortitude it means that they have emotional power or reserves and the ability to withstand adversity. People who have fortitude are described in an admiring way for their courage and this word comes from the Latin word fortitudo, meaning "strength." Jacueline Bisset, someone who knows about beauty, said, "Character contributes to beauty. It fortifies a woman as her youth fades. A mode of conduct, a standard of courage, discipline, fortitude and integrity can do a great deal to make a woman beautiful."
Vocabulary lists containing fortitude
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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100 Top "SAT" Words
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Grade 9, List 1
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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.
It often requires tremendous mental and emotional fortitude at a time when they are simply trying to get well.
From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026
But an investor who is relying on the stock market to build wealth needs the psychological fortitude to keep putting money into the market, even during a downturn, he added.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
More important than reprising the past is asking whether we have the fortitude and tools to prevent the next attack.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
Trump offered rare praise for the press in the immediate aftermath of the dinner, and praised their decision to go ahead with a re-run as a "sign of strength and fortitude."
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
It was only that we could feel a deep and sincere difference between us and them, a difference which everyone struggled with awkward fortitude to bridge.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
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.
