1
: a projecting part of a fortification
a bastion at each of the fort's five corners
2
: a fortified area or position
bombing island bastions
3
: stronghold sense 2
the last bastion of academic standards—
Amer. Scientist
Amer. Scientist
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Bastion is related to bastille (a word now used as a general term for a prison, but probably best known as the name of the Parisian fortress-turned-prison stormed by an angry mob at the start of the French Revolution). It comes from the Italian verb bastire, which means "to build."
Synonyms
Examples of bastion in a Sentence
the rebel army retreated to its bastion in the mountains to regroup
Recent Examples on the Web
Whoever takes the torch from Newsom will preside over a bastion of liberal resistance to Trump.
—Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Other significant county wins include Carlton County, Minnesota, where Trump is the first Republican presidential candidate to win since 1928, and Miami-Dade, a previously blue bastion in the now solidly red state of Florida.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024
The strongest surge in voter turnout in Georgia isn’t in the Democratic bastions of metro Atlanta, but in rural red counties.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024
Bass-playing in a rock context is oftentimes the lone bastion of conservatism: Just keep the beat.
—Jordan Hoffman, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024
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Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Other significant county wins include Carlton County, Minnesota, where Trump is the first Republican presidential candidate to win since 1928, and Miami-Dade, a previously blue bastion in the now solidly red state of Florida.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024
The strongest surge in voter turnout in Georgia isn’t in the Democratic bastions of metro Atlanta, but in rural red counties.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024
Bass-playing in a rock context is oftentimes the lone bastion of conservatism: Just keep the beat.
—Jordan Hoffman, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bastion
Dictionary Entries Near bastion
Cite this Entry
“Bastion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bastion. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bastion
noun
bas·tion
ˈbas-chən 
: some place or something that gives protection against attack
a bastion of democracy
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