fortress
Americannoun
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a large fortified place; a fort or group of forts, often including a town; citadel.
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any place of exceptional security; stronghold.
noun
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a large fort or fortified town
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a place or source of refuge or support
verb
Etymology
Origin of fortress
1300–50; Middle English forteresse < Old French < Vulgar Latin *fortaricia (compare Medieval Latin fortalitia ), equivalent to Latin fort ( is ) strong + -ar-, formative of uncertain meaning +- icia -ice
Explanation
A fortress is a large building or complex of buildings used as a military stronghold. In a military sense, a fortress is often called a “fort." From its original sense of stronghold, the word fortress has stretched to include strongholds in a more figurative sense. Martin Luther used fortress to describe unfailing spiritual support when he wrote, “A mighty fortress is our God.” When someone has a hard time trusting others, you might say they have retreated to a "fortress of their own making."
Vocabulary lists containing fortress
Stay Strong: Forc and Fort
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "F"
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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.
That is, Berkshire’s fortress balance sheet and its durable earnings make it more valuable in times of stress or chaos, since it can deploy capital when others are constrained.
From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026
Alcatraz island - nicknamed "the Rock" because it was regarded as an impregnable fortress - is home to the shuttered federal penitentiary that housed some of the most dangerous criminals in the US.
From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026
One worry about how defensible Netflix’s fortress is comes from how fast it got here.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026
“The building is a fortress, it’s got thick concrete walls,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2026
After locking me inside, the small ogre carried me into their armored vehicle and we proceeded to leave the fortress.
From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth
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.
