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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defendant
The trial ended with convictions of all defendants and Nevas imposed sentences as long as life in prison.
—
Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2025
At a deportation hearing, the government has a lower burden of proof and the defendant does not have the right to a jury trial, for example.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 Apr. 2025
The case has been appealed by the defendant and is pending.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
The judge’s opinion would identify the grounds for an acquittal or for holding the defendants’ liable.
—Andrea Tinianow, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defendant
Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2025
At a deportation hearing, the government has a lower burden of proof and the defendant does not have the right to a jury trial, for example.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 Apr. 2025
The case has been appealed by the defendant and is pending.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
The judge’s opinion would identify the grounds for an acquittal or for holding the defendants’ liable.
—Andrea Tinianow, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defendant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defendant
Noun
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Reckless sanctuary city policies create a sanctuary for one class — criminals.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Trump has expressed support for Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele's maximum security prison, calling it an effective solution for U.S. criminals.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, the defense claimed Read dropped O'Keefe off and then a fight broke out inside the home, pointing the finger at several other potential suspects.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
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The police department did not say if other suspects were ever identified.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defendant. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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