stronghold
/ˈstrɒŋhəʊld
/noun
1A place where a particular cause or belief is strongly defended or upheld: a Labour stronghold...
- He has been to Democrat strongholds, Republican bastions and across the battleground states of the Midwest.
- The middle and upper end of the market continues to be a stronghold of independent agencies such as Strutt & Parker and its peers.
- They take in the Thornton & Allerton, and Clayton & Fairweather Green wards, both Tory strongholds in local elections.
Synonyms
bastion, centre, refuge, hotbed
2A place that has been fortified so as to protect it against attack: their mountain strongholds fell to enemy attack...
- World War I saw the evolution of a new fortification setup combining field strongholds with fortresses.
- At the same time opposition forces began building fortified strongholds in hard-to-access mountainous areas.
- Iraqi strongholds and fortified areas were sealed off with a part of coalition forces.
Synonyms
fortress, fort, castle, citadel, garrison, keep, tower, hold, donjon, bunker;
fastness