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Fortified words: exploring "bastion" and "bulwark"
Lloyd Cooper 27/10/2024, 19:29
What is similar?
Both "bastion" and "bulwark" refer to structures that provide protection or defense. They are often used metaphorically to describe something that serves to uphold or defend a principle, belief, or system.
What is different?
A "bastion" is specifically a projecting part of a fortification and also can mean an institution or person strongly defending principles. "Bulwark" broadly refers to a defensive wall or a person/institution enhancing defense, not limited to—or necessarily implying—a projecting part.
Which one is more common?
Examples of usage
Bastion- The old castle served as a bastion against the invading forces.
- The organization has been a bastion of free speech for decades.
- The sea wall acted as a bulwark against the storm surges.
- Education is considered a bulwark against ignorance and tyranny.
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