stronghold
Americannoun
-
a defensible place; fortress
-
a major centre or area of predominance
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing stronghold
In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse
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The High King
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Pay Attention, Carter Jones
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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.
See Examples For:
Texas, a long-time Republican stronghold, was the site of one of the most stunning upsets in the vote, with the state electing its first Latina governor, Gina Hinojosa, as the first Democrat governor since 1995.
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026
The top US diplomat will visit Jamnagar, in the western state of Gujarat, a port and stronghold of billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance conglomerate and its flagship refinery, the world's largest.
From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026
Pavel Prigozhin, now 28, not only salvaged but expanded operations in Wagner’s African stronghold, the Central African Republic, according to former Wagner associates, government officials, business people and researchers in Bangui, the capital city.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
The seat, which Min has held since last year, was for decades in a Republican stronghold that in recent years became a swing district in coastal Orange County.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Almost seven hundred feet high it stood, three times the height of the tallest tower in the stronghold it sheltered.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
Louisiana and Mississippi offered two incredibly close Senate races in states long assumed to be GOP strongholds.
From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026
Toyota didn’t foresee the rise in U.S. gas prices, Rose said, and that has broadened the RAV4’s appeal beyond hybrids’ coastal strongholds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
It also could give Raman new inroads in parts of Horvath’s district that were strongholds for onetime mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, who placed third in the June 2 primary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
There have some strongholds in England, external, particularly islands, and 75% of the British population is in Scotland, external.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
It will be less now, I fear; for I will not leave my strongholds all unguarded.
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
