defend

Synonym Chooser

How is the word defend different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of defend are guard, protect, safeguard, and shield. While all these words mean "to keep secure from danger or against attack," defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

defend the country

When is guard a more appropriate choice than defend?

The meanings of guard and defend largely overlap; however, guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

White House entrances are well guarded

When would protect be a good substitute for defend?

The synonyms protect and defend are sometimes interchangeable, but protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure.

a hard hat to protect your head

When might safeguard be a better fit than defend?

Although the words safeguard and defend have much in common, safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

our civil liberties must be safeguarded

Where would shield be a reasonable alternative to defend?

The words shield and defend are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of defend The defending champs paddled to victory at the first race of the 2025 Triple Crown season, New York's General Clinton Canoe Regatta, in May. Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 25 July 2025 At the same time, another letter signed by prominent tech leaders defends Maguire against the backlash, this one with more than 1,400 signees. Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 25 July 2025 President Donald Trump defended the weakening U.S. dollar during a conversation with reporters Friday. Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025 The Brandy battle isn’t Temu’s first exposure to defending itself in court. Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 24 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for defend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defend
Verb
  • The other eight units protected by the reserve are: How did the museum designers choose Mill Bluff?
    Sofia Joseph, jsonline.com, 30 July 2025
  • Experts recommend proactive zoning regulations to manage data center growth and protect communities from potential negative impacts. Data centers, the physical hubs helping power the modern digital world, appear headed for Kentucky.
    Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 30 July 2025
Verb
  • Still, the Justice Department has argued that the public's interest in Epstein's and Maxwell's cases justifies treating the transcripts from their grand jury proceedings differently.
    Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Invoking national security to justify private sector economic development is a tired cliché.
    Kevin Green, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Prioritize safety, stay well-informed, and act responsibly to safeguard lives and property.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 July 2025
  • In such cases, food manufacturers often issue a recall as a preventive measure to safeguard consumers.
    Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • Here are recommendations for maintaining safety during a thunderstorm: To reduce the chance of being struck by lightning, when venturing outside, have a plan to get to a safer area.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 2 Aug. 2025
  • These sealers are used by companies that maintain tennis and pickleball courts.
    Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 2 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • In her later years, Toklas carefully guarded Stein’s legacy, rebuffing, and sometimes actively thwarting, biographers.
    Anna Russell, New Yorker, 28 July 2025
  • The world’s largest Superman statue guards the town square near the Super Museum with more than 20,000 Superman artifacts.
    Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
Verb
  • In recent months, that court has upheld Trump’s consolidation of power as President and bolstered his larger project to tilt the country’s public policy to the right.
    Brian Bennett, Time, 29 July 2025
  • The landmark decision on June 28, 2024, Grants Pass, Oregon vs. Johnson, upheld the Oregon city's ability to ban people sleeping in public settings.
    Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 29 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Defend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defend. Accessed 8 Aug. 2025.

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