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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Despite being born into wealth, Wesley Evers first appears as an overworked public defender who takes issue with cops not following procedure. Tanya Melendez, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026 Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris has tapped his deputy chief of staff Jerri Green (also a Memphis City Councilmember and a Tennessee gubernatorial candidate) to be the interim chief public defender. Corinne S Kennedy, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 6 Jan. 2026 Court records show that Boley was appointed a public defender and has formally requested preliminary hearings in both felony cases. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026 In an accompanying executive order, Mamdani directed the Judiciary Advisory Committee to regularly publish demographic data and information on upcoming appointments and to work with public defenders when putting forward recommendations for new judges. Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 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 10 Jan. 2026.

Legal Definition

public defender

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

More from Merriam-Webster on public defender

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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