defender

noun

de·​fend·​er di-ˈfen-dər 

1

: one that defends

2

: a player in a sport (such as football) assigned to a defensive position

Synonyms of defender

• guardian
• custodian
• protector
• protection
• bodyguard

Examples of defender in a Sentence

one of the traditional roles of an older brother is that of schoolyard defender

Recent Examples on the Web

Batherson, a defender, scored her first career goal and knotted the game at 2-all four minutes into the final period on a power play — with another assist from Pannek and one from Kendall Cooper — her third. —CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025

The Broncos defender squared himself for the tackle, only for Washington to zag left at the last second. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2025

Dunn scored eight of her 15 points in the second half as Cal threw multiple defenders at Davidson. —Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2025

Colorado’s dangerous top line got rolling in the offensive zone late in the first, pinning the Wild defenders in deep, and getting the first goal when Martin Necas was uncovered in the slot and beat Wallstedt with a snap shot. —Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 22 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English defendour, defender, borrowed from Anglo-French defendour, defendur, from defend-, stem of defendre "to defend" + -our, -ur -or entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing defender

• public defender

Rhymes for defender

• bartender
• contender
• engender
• extender
• offender
• pretender
• provender
• surrender
• suspender
• transgender
• bender
• blender

Kids Definition

defender

noun

de·​fend·​er -ˈfen-dər 

1

: one that defends

2

: a player in a sport (as football) who plays a defensive position

Legal Definition

defender

noun

de·​fend·​er

: a lawyer who represents defendants

especially : public defender