fended; fending; fends
1
: defend
2
: to keep or ward off : repel
—often used with off
fend off an invader
3
dialectal British
: to provide for : support
chiefly Scotland
: an effort or attempt especially for oneself
Synonyms
Examples of fend in a Sentence
Verb
learned to use humor to fend herself from criticism
Recent Examples on the Web
Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2024
Yet the busing program is exposing the chasm between the Mexican government’s rhetoric promoting a humanitarian approach to migration, and the country’s role as a heavy-handed enforcer of U.S. border objectives, leaving many migrant families stranded to fend for themselves.
—Paulina Villegas Luis Antonio Rojas, New York Times, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for fend 
Verb
Later that night, a violent mob attacked the encampment and students were left to fend for themselves against beatings, pepper spray and fireworks for three hours.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2024
Yet the busing program is exposing the chasm between the Mexican government’s rhetoric promoting a humanitarian approach to migration, and the country’s role as a heavy-handed enforcer of U.S. border objectives, leaving many migrant families stranded to fend for themselves.
—Paulina Villegas Luis Antonio Rojas, New York Times, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for fend
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near fend
Cite this Entry
“Fend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fend. Accessed 23 May. 2024.
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