stronghold
Fortified military position
A stronghold is a fortified place—a castle, fortress, or defensible position: The rebels retreated to their mountain stronghold.
By extension, it's any area where a particular group, belief, or activity dominates: a Republican stronghold, a stronghold of traditional values.
The word emphasizes both strength and the idea of holding ground against opposition.
Fortified urban stronghold
- castleFortified medieval residence
- bastionFortified defensive position
- keepRetain or fortified tower
- redoubtEnclosed temporary fortification
bulwark · rampart · fortification · garrison · acropolis · blockhouse · barbican · donjon
Obstacle blocking a path
- siegeEncirclement forcing surrender
- sentryGuard on duty
- guardWatchful defensive attention
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
militia · artillery · cannon · reinforcement · garrison · rampart · embrasure · crenellation
Subterranean prison chamber
- cellBasic unit of life
- jailDetention facility
- stockadeFence of sharpened stakes
- gaolPlace of incarceration
lockup · oubliette · keep · tower · confinement · captivity · incarceration · imprisonment
Protected sacred space
- havenShelter from danger
- asylumShelter from persecution
- shelterProtected place or structure
- retreatSanctuary or withdrawal
hideaway · harbor · sanctum · hideout · bolthole · safehouse · lair · redoubt
Dominant group's control
- supremacyHighest rank or power
- controlAuthority to direct
- powerEnergy transfer rate
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
domination · influence · command · ascendancy · predominance · sovereignty · reign · rule
citadel
Fortified urban stronghold
redoubt · bulwark · rampart · fortification · garrison · acropolis · blockhouse · barbican · donjon · palisade
barricade
Obstacle blocking a path
resistance · militia · artillery · cannon · reinforcement · garrison · rampart · embrasure · crenellation · drawbridge
dungeon
Subterranean prison chamber
gaol · lockup · oubliette · keep · tower · confinement · captivity · incarceration · imprisonment · detention
sanctuary
Protected sacred space
retreat · hideaway · harbor · sanctum · hideout · bolthole · safehouse · lair · redoubt · bunker
hegemony
Dominant group's control
authority · domination · influence · command · ascendancy · predominance · sovereignty · reign · rule · leadership
- Fortsfortress, citadel, Fort Knox, Fort Bragg, Fort Sumter
- castleskeep, moat, drawbridge, dungeon, turret
- defensedefense, defending, protecting, protection, security
- Minecraftcreeper, Steve, Alex, zombie, skeleton
- strategystrategy, grand strategy, tactics, tactic, tactical
- advantagesedge, leverage, upper hand, leg up, head start
strongholdopen ground
weak point · no man's land · breach · soft target · killing field
strongholdcontested territory
Land with competing claims
lost territory · enemy territory · hostile territory · lost ground · battleground
- mountain strongholds
- medieval strongholdFortified structure from Middle Ages