fortress
gb/fˈɔɹtɹəs/ us/fˈɔɹtɹəs/
B2
English
~ 5300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
large strongly defended building or place
A very strong building or place, made to keep people safe from attack, especially in war.
Usage pattern:
a fortress [preposition] [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "fortress" with "castle" and "fort". A "fortress" is any very strong defensive building or place, often mainly for the army. A "castle" is usually a large strong house where a king or lord lived. A "fort" can be smaller and more modern. Learners also sometimes say "a fortress house" when they mean "a house like a fortress".
Synonyms
stronghold (Often emphasizes a place that is strongly defended or firmly controlled, not always a large building.)
|
fort (More general modern term for a defended military position; often smaller or less castle-like.)
|
castle (A fortified residence, especially of royalty or nobility; often suggests living quarters as well as defense.)
Antonyms
open field (Suggests an exposed, unprotected area with no defensive buildings.)
Collocations
medieval fortress
|mountain fortress
|hilltop fortress
|stone fortress
|coastal fortress
|impregnable fortress
Themes
history
|military
|places
|law
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The ancient fortress on the hill still dominates the skyline of the city.
- Soldiers retreated to the fortress and prepared for a long siege.
- High walls and deep moats made the fortress almost impossible to capture.
- Archaeologists are excavating a Roman fortress near the river.
- The rebels turned the old fortress into their headquarters.
Learner examples
- The king lived in a large stone fortress.
- People ran to the fortress when the enemy came.
- The fortress stands on a high hill above the town.
- Tourists can walk along the walls of the old fortress.
- The army protected the border with a chain of small fortresses.
Noun
literary
C1
entity
2
person or thing giving strong protection
A person, place, or thing that keeps other people or things very safe, like a very strong building.
Usage pattern:
a fortress of [abstract thing]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use this figurative meaning in very formal writing where a simpler word like "protection" or "support" would sound more natural. They may also mix the patterns and say "fortress for" instead of common phrases like "fortress of privacy" or "fortress against change".
Synonyms
stronghold (In this figurative use, often focuses on a place or group that strongly supports an idea or value.)
|
refuge (Emphasizes safety and comfort more than strength and active defense.)
Antonyms
vulnerability (Highlights being open to harm or influence, the opposite of being strongly protected.)
Collocations
a fortress of solitude
|a fortress of privacy
|emotional fortress
|a fortress against change
|a fortress of security
Themes
emotions
|society
|metaphor
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- For many people, home is a fortress of security in a chaotic world.
- The party became a fortress against reform, blocking every attempt at change.
- Behind his friendly smile he built an emotional fortress that no one could enter.
- Independent media act as a fortress of democracy, holding leaders to account.
- She treated her office as a private fortress, carefully controlling who could enter.
Learner examples
- My room is my fortress when I need to be alone.
- Good friends can be a fortress in difficult times.
- The group became a fortress against new ideas.
- He lives inside a fortress of fear and does not trust anyone.
- The law is a fortress that protects basic rights.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fortress
IPA
GB/fˈɔɹtɹəs/
US/fˈɔɹtɹəs/
Syllables & stress
fort - ress (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fort)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: fortress
- Plural: fortresses
Word family
Forms
fortresses
noun
Core family
Negative and opposite forms
unfortified
adjective
Expressions
Fortress Europe
1/fˈɔɹtɹəs jˈʊɹəp/
fixed phrase
idea of Europe as closed to outsiders
A political phrase for the idea that Europe, especially the European Union, is or should be very hard for people from other countries to enter.
Examples
- Human rights groups argue that "Fortress Europe" puts too many barriers in front of refugees.
- The debate about migration has brought the image of Fortress Europe back into the news.
fortress mentality
1/fˈɔɹtɹəs mɛntˈælɪti/
fixed phrase
defensive, closed-off attitude
A way of thinking where a person, group, or country tries to stay very closed and protected, and is afraid to let in new people, ideas, or changes.
Examples
- Critics say the government has developed a fortress mentality about national security.
- If the company keeps its fortress mentality, it will miss important partnerships.