defend
verb (used with object)
to ward off attack from; guard against assault or injury (usually followed by from oragainst ).
have defended
-
present perfectof defend.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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 Tigers have defended brilliantly so far, but they are not going to keep out Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
While the company and authorities have defended the technology for helping fight crime, reports of misuse have only fanned the flame this summer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Supporters have defended Tate as a controversial figure willing to challenge mainstream ideas about masculinity.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
On 71, Conway looked to have defended the off-spin of Shoaib Bashir.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
“But then, what would have happened to you? You would have just stood there, and let him do that, and you wouldn’t have defended yourself at all.”
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
