public defender

noun

Synonyms of public defendernext
: a lawyer usually holding public office whose duty is to defend accused persons unable to pay for legal assistance

Examples of public defender in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Both Pirro and Blanche were inside the ballroom during the incident, which federal public defenders used as partial justification to say they are conflicted in the case. Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026 Ohm and Abe, who are assistant federal public defenders, suggested that the appointment of a special prosecutor might be warranted. Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026 And in Los Angeles, federal public defenders were on a six-case winning streak in cases filed against ICE protesters, the Guardian said. Brian Rokos, Daily News, 7 May 2026 Soliman is set to plead guilty to all state charges, including first-degree murder, during a hearing in Boulder County District Court on Thursday, his federal public defenders wrote in a Sunday court filing. Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for public defender

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of public defender was in 1822

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Cite this Entry

“Public defender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20defender. Accessed 11 May. 2026.

Legal Definition

public defender

noun
: a lawyer usually holding public office who represents criminal defendants unable to pay for legal assistance

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