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
Multiple Landmark clients — including Accendo Insurance, American Benefit Life Insurance, American Monumental Life Insurance, Capitol Life Insurance, Continental Mutual Insurance and Liberty Bankers Life Insurance — were also named as defendants.
—
Brian Sloan, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025
Still, many defendants who adamantly deny liability agree to mediation.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
The two defendants can appeal their sentences to a higher court.
—CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
After their arrests, some of the defendants also sought money on GoFundMe for help with bail and legal costs.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defendant
Brian Sloan, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025
Still, many defendants who adamantly deny liability agree to mediation.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
The two defendants can appeal their sentences to a higher court.
—CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
After their arrests, some of the defendants also sought money on GoFundMe for help with bail and legal costs.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defendant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defendant
Noun
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The offenders will get young women to send explicit photos using similar blackmailing tactics.—
Molly Beck,
jsonline.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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If this is what’s happening, Durvasula advises talent leaders to figure out ways to keep offenders away from as many people as possible.—
Susan Caminiti,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As the trend becomes increasingly widespread, criminals are turning to faster ways to procure cars for racing.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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Instead, two wannabe criminals, with their faces obscured by pantyhose, simply walk into the local art museum and rip the paintings right off the walls.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Prosecutors argued that Shockley's motive to kill Graham was because the trooper was investigating him as the prime suspect in a case of leaving the scene of a fatal accident.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
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The investigation eventually uncovers chilling clues that lead to Bryan Kohberger (Merry), a seemingly quiet criminology PhD student, as the only suspect.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In Bohn's case, after he was contacted on Facebook, the perpetrator persuaded him to move the conversation to Telegram.—
Molly Beck,
jsonline.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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The perpetrator may have better disguised their actions, or stalking behavior might just be less visible, like surveilling a person online.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defendant. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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