1
as in to protect
to drive danger or attack away from
a solemn oath to defend the mother country at any cost
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to justify
to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections
she will pigheadedly defend any claim regardless of all evidence to the contrary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defend
Kehoe, in response to a question from The Star on Tuesday, defended his decision to push the plan at the 11th-hour.
—
Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2025
The bill was passed with an amendment to clarify that the state, instead of schools or school districts, will defend and pay for any legal challenges to the law.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 26 May 2025
The fun gets going in the lobby of Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at 9:30 a.m. on June 21 and lasts until 3 p.m.
More culture news
The Washington Post reports that former Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter is defending the finances of the organization prior to President Trump’s takeover.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2025
Macron has been at the forefront of efforts to agree a coordinated European response to defending Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
—Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for defend
Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2025
The bill was passed with an amendment to clarify that the state, instead of schools or school districts, will defend and pay for any legal challenges to the law.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 26 May 2025
The fun gets going in the lobby of Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at 9:30 a.m. on June 21 and lasts until 3 p.m.
More culture news
The Washington Post reports that former Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter is defending the finances of the organization prior to President Trump’s takeover.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2025
Macron has been at the forefront of efforts to agree a coordinated European response to defending Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
—Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for defend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defend
Verb
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Arsenal must protect themselves against a similar outcome next season — and the transfer market provides their best opportunity to do that.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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Those that rely too heavily on coercion risk losing legitimacy, but excessive reliance on consent without the backing of power can undermine the hegemon’s ability to enforce rules and protect core interests.—
Andrew Latham,
The Conversation,
30 May 2025
Verb
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But as cloud spend goes up, the need to justify cost efforts and demonstrate cost avoidance to execs will increase.—
Adrian Bridgwater,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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His breezy accounts betray no anxiety to justify the expense of sending him around the world.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Lee’s next test in safeguarding those interests promises to be trickier: restoring stability to South Korea following the tumultuous ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose impeachment was confirmed in April following his December 2024 declaration of martial law.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
29 May 2025
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When payments happen outside the App Store, the responsibility for safeguarding transactions falls to the developer.—
Chris Hewish,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Verb
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Prosecutors said the defendants had marketed gaming operations in the two states and helped internet cafes set and maintain terminals that operated the games, which could be played for credits.—
Ethan Wolin,
Sacbee.com,
4 June 2025
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Recent polling suggests Trump maintains an unexpectedly strong foothold in the Garden State.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Seeing rookies such as defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, the first-round pick, and guard Jonah Savaiinaea, the second-round pick, out there running around with life-giving joy and their sky-high potential was refreshing.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
28 May 2025
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Putin's military vessels are now guarding the fleet through the Gulf of Finland, the official said, calling the move unprecedented.—
Isabel van Brugen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 May 2025
Verb
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There is a fundamental truth here that must be upheld.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2025
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However, the president fumed at foreign leaders on Friday for failing to uphold their end of the deal.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defend. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
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