defendant
noun
a person, company, etc., against whom a claim or charge is brought in a court (opposed to plaintiff).
defendants
-
pluralof defendant.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
Prosecutors have requested sentences ranging from four to 12 years for six of the seven defendants.
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026
Donna Tryfman, a deputy public defender, serves in the major cases unit, where she handles homicide and other high-profile defendants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
In relation to Mariano, a prosecuting barrister said she had a lead role in the offending and there was evidence that £174,000 passed between the accounts of the two defendants.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
Across France, defendants appeared in court Tuesday in connection with the looting of stores.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
Here the in-custody defendants sit in the jury box waiting for their cases to be called.
From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater
