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.
Morales, the country's first Indigenous president, is in hiding in his coca-growing stronghold of Chapare to escape charges of trafficking a minor, which he denies.
From Barron's • Jun. 22, 2026
His stronghold is the Chapare region in central Bolivia, which is now a potential flashpoint.
From Barron's • Jun. 20, 2026
For decades, the working-class area was a die-hard Labour stronghold.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
On Sunday morning—the day Trump promised the deal would finally be signed—Israeli forces hit Dahiyeh, the Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
As soon as the repairs to my ship were finished, I headed back to my stronghold.
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.
