defender
Americannoun
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defenders
plural
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a person who defends someone or something from attack, assault, or injury.
We commemorate the brave defenders of this fort.
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Law. an attorney for a defendant, especially a public defender.
the systemwide benefits of effective defenders.
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a person who supports an argument, theory, thesis, etc., in the face of criticism or challenging questions.
defenders of gay rights.
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Sports.
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a team player whose assigned role is to prevent the other team from scoring.
On the court, he’s an exceptional defender and a natural leader.
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a contestant or team that attempts to retain a championship title, rank, etc., in a competition against a challenger.
Her main rival is the young title defender from Italy.
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Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of defender
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English; defend ( def. ) + -er 2 ( def. )
Vocabulary lists containing defender
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:
They wanted a defender who could operate both at centre-back and right-back, and Araujo's versatility and physical profile made him an attractive option.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Arsenal are going to start the season with half of their first-choice back four out injured which means that any defender they sign is going to be required to play straight away.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
One principle carried over from Iraola's Bournemouth side is looking to keep a spare defender against the opposition attack.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Rashford, England team-mate Kobbie Mainoo and Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez are the final three players to return for United after the World Cup.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
What if she’d been able to afford to pay a lawyer to defend Richard when he was fourteen instead of letting him be represented by the public defender?
From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater
If an opponent leaves three forwards high, Liverpool will commonly opt to keep four defenders back.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Like all good wingers he is unpredictable and can go on either the inside or outside, which means it is hard for defenders to know if he is going to cross the ball or shoot.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Thompson has proven that so far in Chargers training camp, sprinting around defenders and maximizing his 5-foot-9, 170-pound frame in passing drills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
What neither trial’s critics nor defenders noticed at the time: Pauling and Cameron had started with vitamin C into a vein; the Mayo Clinic trials used tablets only.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
They would strengthen the gatehouse and deploy the main body of defenders in the immediate area.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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.
