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Synonyms

stronghold

American  
[strawng-hohld, strong-] / ˈstrɔŋˌhoʊld, ˈstrɒŋ- /

noun

  1. a well-fortified place; fortress.

    Synonyms:
    bastion, bulwark

  2. a place that serves as the center of a group, as of militants or of persons holding a controversial viewpoint.

    The campus was a stronghold of liberalism.
    Synonyms:
    refuge, home, bastion, bulwark
stronghold British  
/ ˈstrɒŋˌhəʊld /

noun

  1. a defensible place; fortress

  2. a major centre or area of predominance

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of stronghold

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at strong, hold 1

Explanation

A stronghold is a building or other structure that is safe from attack. A fortress is a perfect example of a stronghold. A castle or fort surrounded by stone walls and moats is one kind of stronghold; they are built to keep the people or valuables inside them safe from invading armies. You might build a stronghold of driftwood and rocks around your prized sand sculpture on the beach, or even a figurative stronghold around yourself — to guard against having your feelings hurt.

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Vocabulary lists containing stronghold

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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.

However, there was a shock loss for the party to the SNP in their traditional stronghold seat of Shetland.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

For the first time, the capital got a directly elected Green mayor - Zoë Garbett - winning in the former Labour stronghold of Hackney.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

Palantir continues to have a stronghold in its government business, where its early start in the defense sector and deep relationships in Washington limit its vulnerabilities.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

Gao is the army's second-largest military stronghold after Kati, a garrison town near Bamako which is home to several senior junta officials and was targeted in the weekend attacks.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

I closed the Scoreboard and took a long look around my stronghold, wondering if it was for the last time.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

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.