defendant
Americannoun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of defendant
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English defendaunt, from Anglo-French ( Middle French, Old French defendant ). See defend, -ant
Explanation
In court, the person who gets sued or accused is called a defendant — they have to defend their innocence or reputation. One thing no one wants to be is a defendant: that means someone sued you, which could cost you a boatload of money. Other defendants are accused of crimes, which is even worse, because you could end up in jail. Turn on any TV show about lawyers, and you'll see some of them defending the defendant, and others trying to convict the defendant. Defendants are definitely on the defensive.
Vocabulary lists containing defendant
Monster
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 6
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Excerpts from "Jacobson v. Massachusetts"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Gutman, who joined CBS News in January, is named as a defendant as well.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
The defendant was caught in 2022 and had already served his prison sentence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Tensions arose when the defendant "took a dim view" of one of Powles's daughters serving behind the bar as part of her training to work there, prosecutor Matthew Harding said.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
The defendant was subsequently arrested and questioned by police.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
No defendant can be compelled to reveal his defense before he is actually in court.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
The 27-page suit names the UC regents as defendants, along with physicians, nurses, clinical care partners and other officials who are identified as “Does 1-100.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Jamie McDonald, US attorney for the Southern District of New York, said the defendants and unidentified co-conspirators orchestrated more than 1,000 sham marriages over the past decade.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
While only four Los Angeles, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, and San Diego county superior courts were named as defendants, the decision applies to all superior courts in California.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
During the sentencing on Tuesday, Judge Sushil Kumar said it was of "great concern" that the defendants failed to register the homes despite receiving multiple warning letters.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Only about a quarter of felony defendants in large urban counties were charged with a violent offense in 2006.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
