fortitude
Americannoun
-
mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation courageously.
Never once did her fortitude waver during that long illness.
noun
-
strength and firmness of mind; resolute endurance
Usage
What is fortitude? Fortitude is mental or emotional strength in facing something difficult, as in Lillie stayed sane on the deserted island thanks to her intense mental fortitude. Fortitude refers to mental or emotional strength rather than physical or bodily strength, as in During the pandemic, Kasha wrote poetry to maintain her mental fortitude. But you can use words like strength, power, and intensity as synonyms for fortitude if you are talking specifically about mental or emotional strength. The adjective form of fortitude is fortitudinous, as in The fortitudinous soldiers never even considered retreating. Example: You could never tell June was suffering from illness due to her amazing fortitude.
Related Words
See patience.
Other Word Forms
- fortitudinous adjective
Etymology
Origin of fortitude
First recorded 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin fortitūdō “strength, firmness, courage,” equivalent to forti(s) “strong” + -tūdō noun suffix ( -tude )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But it certainly makes him look cowardly that he can’t even muster the fortitude to say it in public, much less to his boss’s face.
From Salon • Mar. 23, 2026
As an immigrant directly from Korea, Chang showed him the fortitude of structure amid her community.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026
Mental fortitude has been a problem for Scotland, but not for Glasgow.
From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026
To be fair, 2025 produced plenty of IPO doozies that investors would be wise to avoid until they demonstrate real technical fortitude.
From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026
He flicks his rubber band as his eyes scan my body, mentally critiquing my lack of physical fortitude.
From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.