1
: a strong or fortified place
especially : a fortified place occupied only by troops and surrounded with such works as a ditch, rampart, and parapet : fortification
2
: a permanent army post
often used in place names

Examples of fort in a Sentence

They captured the fort after a long battle. a series of forts along the frontier
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The city dismantled the fort in 2016 after significant pressure from the California Coastal Commission. Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2024 There is also a string of water parks lavishly-themed to a desert fort, an oasis and Aztec temples. Caroline Reid, Forbes, 21 Sep. 2024 So, dad’s fort became a chicken coop and over the next five years, Dambo embarked on building his own extensive fort with his friends. Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 3 Aug. 2024 Climb to the top of the ruins of the island's 18th-century fort to catch sweeping views across the sea towards neighboring islands. Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fort 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English forte, from Anglo-French fort, from fort, adjective, strong, from Latin fortis

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fort was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near fort

Cite this Entry

“Fort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fort. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

fort

noun
ˈfō(ə)rt How to pronounce fort (audio)
ˈfȯ(ə)rt
1
: a strong or fortified place
2
: a permanent army post

More from Merriam-Webster on fort

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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