defend
verb (used with object)
to ward off attack from; guard against assault or injury (usually followed by from oragainst ).
defended
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past participleof defend.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof defend.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
defendverb (used with object)to ward off attack from; guard against assault or injury (usually followed by from oragainst ).
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.
He has, however, repeatedly defended the Smithsonian’s independence and pushed back against White House criticism of its exhibitions.
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026
The strike resulted in the first U.S. deaths since an April ceasefire, and exposed the difficulty of protecting U.S. forces even at a heavily defended installation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
Ahead of his arrival in Lima, the Chinese embassy rejected suggestions that the region was anyone's "backyard" and defended Beijing's cooperation with Latin American countries.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
He defended the Smithsonian’s scholarly integrity and said he will continue to “protect the importance of doing nuanced, complicated history.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
With striking uniformity, these travelers reported that New England was thickly settled and well defended.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
