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Synonyms

defend

American

[dih-fend] / dɪˈfɛnd /

verb (used with object)

to ward off attack from; guard against assault or injury (usually followed by from oragainst ).

The sentry defended the gate against sudden attack.

Synonyms:

fortify, garrison, shield, screen, shelter

Antonyms:

attack
to maintain by argument, evidence, etc.; uphold.

She defended her claim successfully.

Synonyms:

vindicate
to contest (a legal charge, claim, etc.).
Law. to serve as attorney for (a defendant).

He has defended some of the most notorious criminals.
to support (an argument, theory, etc.) in the face of criticism; prove the validity of (a dissertation, thesis, or the like) by answering arguments and questions put by a committee of specialists.
Sports. to attempt to retain (a championship title, position, etc.), as in a competition against a challenger.

A fortuitous trade has landed him on the team defending the World Series championship.

verb (used without object)

Law. to enter or make a defense.
Sports. to prevent the opposing team from scoring.

She’s a freshman who already scores and defends like a professional.

defend British

/ dɪˈfɛnd /

verb

to protect (a person, place, etc) from harm or danger; ward off an attack on
(tr) to support in the face of criticism, esp by argument or evidence
to represent (a defendant) in court in a civil or criminal action
sport to guard or protect (oneself, one's goal, etc) against attack
(tr) to protect (a championship or title) against a challenge

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

Defend, guard, preserve, protect all mean to keep safe. To defend is to strive to keep safe by resisting attack: to defend one's country. To guard is to watch over in order to keep safe: to guard a camp. To preserve is to keep safe in the midst of danger, either in a single instance or continuously: to preserve a spirit of conciliation. To protect is to keep safe by interposing a shield or barrier: to protect books by means of heavy paper covers.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of defend

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English defenden, from Old French défendre, from Latin dēfendere “to ward off, repel,” from dē- de- + -fendere “to strike” ( see also bane ( def. ))

Explanation

Defend has different shades of meaning, but it always has the sense of protecting something — your ideas, for instance, or your title as world heavyweight champion. If you order the blood sausage and lamb when you're out to eat with your vegan friends, you may have to defend your eating habits, meaning speak up in support of your choices. Defend can also be something more concrete, like when you defend your property or your country. The lawyer who represents someone accused of a crime is there to defend the accused person — who is called the defendant — and to argue his case in court.

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Vocabulary lists containing defend

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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:

defend defends defended defending

So naturally the party leadership seems prepared to go to the barricades to defend it.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

But Guessos said that young people in the country lacked places "where they can express their frustrations, defend their rights and take part".

From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026

What is certain is that Jason Arday had sought to defend his reputation, using a high-profile firm of lawyers to send a letter to a journalist from Times Higher Education who first questioned his work.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Shelton is the first Canadian Open winner since Novak Djokovic in 2016 to win the tournament without dropping a set, and also the first player since Rafael Nadal in 2019 to successfully defend the title.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

He repeated America’s commitment to defend West Berlin and all it stood for.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

"And he defends me really well, but he can't go too far because if he goes too far, he'll get fired."

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

The administration defends its dealmaking as an economic boon in the long term.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

When a country defends its currency, it buys its own currency and sells foreign reserves.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

"We're always strong, we pool our strength and one defends the other," María Luísa explains as she sits on a sofa next to her sister.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Hugh defends his former school, saying, "Well, isn't that the whole point of a field trip? To see something new?"

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

The Irishman defended on the ground admirably, but it was a sign of things to come as Makhachev controlled the rest of the round with the challenger trapped against the side of the cage.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

In a statement, Homeland Security defended the plan to purchase the gloves.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

Response: In response to questions from ProPublica, VA spokesperson Quinn Slaven defended the agency.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

Jones also defended her "old school choices" while appearing on Kay's programme Tracks of My Years, which included Dolly Parton's 9 to 5 and Glenn Medeiros' Nothing's Going to Change My Love for You.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

“You know, where Horatius and his two friends defended the city from an invading army? Now, there was a brave Roman!”

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

Arteta believes the signing of Guimaraes in particular will significantly boost Arsenal's chances of defending their title.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said the Lincoln would be brought home soon, while defending its extended time at sea as necessary.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Over the last 10 years, Paxton has championed religious freedom in court, often defending groups or individuals with conservative Christian views, particularly on marriage and gender.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

Lakers general manager and president of basketball Rob Pelinka called the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers and Lakers “brother-sister” organizations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

Camilla falls after giving a very good account of herself; the wicked Mezentius meets the fate he so richly deserves, but only after his brave young son is killed defending him.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023