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
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 6
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Excerpts from "Jacobson v. Massachusetts"
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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:
"We remind all concerned that proceedings against the defendant are active and he has the right to a fair trial," Ferguson said.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
The judges argued that under the current federal statute, “a defendant may be convicted ... based on an accidental killing.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
A defendant need show only a “reasonable possibility” that the bogus forensics swayed even one juror.
From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2026
Contacted by AFP, the defendant Japan ERI, which granted the certificate for the construction plan, declined to comment.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
“While Dr. Strayer’s opinions will touch upon the ultimate issues of this case, they will not include a conclusion by the doctor that the defendant was negligent.”
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
The defendants who faced charges brought by Jahanshahi pleaded not guilty before the cases were dismissed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
Eddins’ opinion is consequential on its own terms: It expands protections for criminal defendants by making it easier for them to overturn a conviction obtained through expert testimony that has since been “scientifically discredited.”
From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2026
"We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against these defendants are active and that they have the right to a fair trial."
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
While at Pinellas County Jail, he testified against or volunteered information on more than two dozen defendants in exchange for lenience from prosecutors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
An officer left the War Department and delivered death warrants to the defendants Mary Surratt, David Herold, George Atzerodt, and Lewis Powell.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
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.
