stronghold

/ˈstrɒŋhəʊld/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈstrɔːŋhəʊld/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈstrȯŋ-ˌhōld/ (ame, mw)

stronghold — noun

  • strongholdsingular
  • strongholdsplural

1. a castle, fort, or other structure that is designed so that enemies cannot easil

1.名詞B2
釋義

a castle, fort, or other structure that is designed so that enemies cannot easily capture it or break in.

例句

Minho visited an old stronghold near Seoul that still has its original stone walls.

collocation: stronghold near [place]

The castle served as the king's final stronghold during the long siege of 1642.

possessive + final stronghold for last defended position

同義詞
  • fortress

    very similar but suggests a large, permanent military structure

  • citadel

    a fortress that protects a city, often on high ground

  • bastion

    a projecting part of a fort, also used figuratively like stronghold

文法句型

[adjective] + stronghold

stronghold + near/in/outside [place]

用法筆記

Often combined with a preceding noun that names the location or type of the stronghold, such as 'mountain stronghold' or 'rebel stronghold'.

常見錯誤

❌The army built a stronghold to store food and weapons.
✅The army built a stronghold to defend the hilltop from enemy attacks.
💡A stronghold is for defence, not storage.

2. a place, city, or region where a specific idea, political party, or way of life

2.名詞B2
釋義

a place, city, or region where a specific idea, political party, or way of life enjoys very strong and lasting support.

例句

The rural county remains a stronghold of the conservative party in every election.

pattern: stronghold of [political party]

Camila turned her small cooking class into a stronghold for traditional recipes disappearing elsewhere.

pattern: stronghold for [activity/tradition]

同義詞
  • bastion

    very similar; bastion is slightly more formal and emphatic

  • heartland

    focuses on a geographic region where something is most concentrated

反義詞
  • battleground

    a place where two opposing sides compete, so neither side has a stronghold

文法句型

stronghold of [belief/party/activity]

[adjective] stronghold of [noun]

用法筆記

Very common in political and cultural journalism. The preposition 'of' introduces the belief or group (e.g. 'a stronghold of liberalism'). The preposition 'for' introduces the activity (e.g. 'a stronghold for traditional crafts').

常見錯誤

❌This restaurant is a stronghold of good pizza.
✅This university is a stronghold of progressive ideas.
💡The figurative sense requires a belief, political party, or cultural practice, not a casual statement about food.