fend

1 of 2

verb

ˈfend 

fended; fending; fends

transitive verb

1

: defend

2

: to keep or ward off : repel

—often used with off

fend off an invader

3

dialectal British : to provide for : support

intransitive verb

1

dialectal British : to make an effort : struggle

2

a

: to try to get along without help : shift

had to fend for themselves

b

: to provide a livelihood

fend

2 of 2

noun

chiefly Scotland

: an effort or attempt especially for oneself

Synonyms of fend

Verb

• protect
• defend
• safeguard
• shield
• guard

Examples of fend in a Sentence

Verb

learned to use humor to fend herself from criticism

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Much of the area is marked by poverty and residents routinely complain they are left to fend for themselves during natural disasters. — Megan Janetsky, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026

Its massive elevator bank also ate up too much of the interior, leaving the opening salvo of each show to fend with a shallow exhibition space. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026

Noun

Other leaders may overreact or take a ‘fend for yourself’ approach. — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026

But the thought of letting this poor kitten fend for itself was beyond comprehension. — Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English fenden, short for defenden "to defend"

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1721, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing fend

• fend for oneself
• fend off

Rhymes for fend

• blend
• blende
• denned
• end
• friend
• lend
• mend
• penned
• send
• spend
• tend
• trend

Kids Definition

fend

verb

ˈfend

1

: to keep or ward off : repel sense 1

fend off an attack

2

: to try to get along without help

had to fend for themselves