# forties vs fortress

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### forties
*noun · frequency rank #27,467*
The fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.

### fortress
*noun · IPA /ˈfoɹ.tɹɪs/ · frequency rank #10,051*
A fortified place; a large and permanent fortification, sometimes including a town; for example a fort, a castle; a stronghold; a place of defense or security.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/forties-vs-fortress