bastille

/bæˈstiːl/
noun
  1. A prison or place of confinement, especially one that is oppressive or unfair. Often used figuratively to describe any oppressive institution or system.
    • In his diary, he called the boarding school a bastille where creativity was crushed.
    • The old factory felt like a bastille to the workers, with its strict rules and long hours.
    • The corrupt government turned the country into a bastille for anyone who spoke out.
  2. A fortress or stronghold, especially one used for defense.
    • Soldiers fortified the bastille with new walls and cannons before the attack.
    • The castle served as a bastille for the royal family during the rebellion.
    • The ancient bastille on the hill had withstood many sieges over the centuries.
Antonyms
What does "bastille" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean