defend
verb (used with object)
to ward off attack from; guard against assault or injury (usually followed by from oragainst ).
was defending
-
past progressiveof defend.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
It is at this point Cambridge faces questions about whether it was defending its own reputation as much as an individual academic.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
McNabb was defending in front of the net with 9:08 remaining in the first period when a blistering shot by Carolina winger Nikolaj Ehlers hit him in the facial area.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
"He was defending me, all of southern Lebanon, and all of Lebanon."
From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026
The center-left Labour Party of Prime Minister Keir Starmer was defending a seat in the northwest of England that the party had held in various forms for decades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 12, 2026
“I wasn’t. I guess in a way, I was defending myself. You see, I know why he wouldn’t make that kind of will. I asked him, and he told me.”
From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler
