as in offender
a person who is being sued or accused of a crime in a court of law
The jury believed that the defendant was guilty.
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Recent Examples of defendant
The Texas suit listed the state of Texas as the defendant but did not name the state’s Republican governor as a defendant.
—
Bruce Schreiner, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
Prosecutors allege that one of the defendants and other co-conspirators spent three days on-site scouting an international jewelry show in San Mateo, Calif., including making multiple calls to each other, to plan the robbery.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 18 June 2025
The sentences will be suspended if the defendants complete an equality and anti-discrimination course.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Prosecutors and the defense team have been carefully treading the Molineux rule, which generally prohibits using evidence of a defendant’s prior bad behavior to prove their propensity to commit the charges in question.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for defendant
Bruce Schreiner, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
Prosecutors allege that one of the defendants and other co-conspirators spent three days on-site scouting an international jewelry show in San Mateo, Calif., including making multiple calls to each other, to plan the robbery.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 18 June 2025
The sentences will be suspended if the defendants complete an equality and anti-discrimination course.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Prosecutors and the defense team have been carefully treading the Molineux rule, which generally prohibits using evidence of a defendant’s prior bad behavior to prove their propensity to commit the charges in question.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for defendant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defendant
Noun
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As crypto holders become increasingly savvy online, criminals start resorting to physical attacks.—
Marie Poteriaieva,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
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With the help of a charming and ethnically diverse array of loveable colleagues, Peralta brings down criminals in entirely bingeable 22-minute chunks.—
Maris Kreizman,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2025
Noun
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The three arson and fraud suspects, who remain held without bail, are scheduled to appear in court Monday, according to jail records.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
21 June 2025
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With the Kings under new management and the roster generally in flux, one suspects Sacramento will decline the option and try to bring Jones back on a two-way.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defendant. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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