defend
verb (used with object)
to ward off attack from; guard against assault or injury (usually followed by from oragainst ).
have been defending
-
present perfect progressiveof defend.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
The Ukrainians have been defending against Iranian-made Shahed suicide drones, fending off the types of attacks the U.S. military and its allies now face in the Middle East with dwindling supplies of air-defense stocks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
At Pregnancy Justice, we have been defending women charged with crimes because of pregnancy, and tracking pregnancy-related prosecutions, for 25 years.
From Slate ● May 5, 2026
Like Avdiivka, another eastern city, Ukrainian forces have been defending Kupiansk from a raised position as it sits on a hill.
From BBC ● Dec. 25, 2023
Companies that make and market plastics, which are derived from fossil fuels, have been defending against a growing set of cases worldwide focused on the waste from the ubiquitous packaging material.
From Reuters ● Nov. 18, 2022
In our bedroom, we have been defending ourselves to each other.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
