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
But that comes at a cost to the defendant, and it’s been said that the process itself is the punishment.
—
John E. Jones Iii, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2026
Two other defendants, TikTok and Snap, have settled the case.
—Kaitlyn Huamani, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz indicated the Razmias alias may be the defendant’s true identity, with Stoian being an assumed name.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
Two other defendants, TikTok and Snap, settled out of court.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defendant
John E. Jones Iii, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2026
Two other defendants, TikTok and Snap, have settled the case.
—Kaitlyn Huamani, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz indicated the Razmias alias may be the defendant’s true identity, with Stoian being an assumed name.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
Two other defendants, TikTok and Snap, settled out of court.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defendant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defendant
Noun
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Despite the wholesale change in how California sentences juvenile offenders, outrage over the crime has not faded.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
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In 2024, the Associated Press reported that inmates at a Virginia facility that predominantly holds mentally ill offenders were hospitalized for hypothermia at least 13 times over the course of three years.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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There’s no word on ICE having a special decoder ring that tracks only the criminals.—
Tressie McMillan Cottom,
Mercury News,
7 Feb. 2026
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Houser said that because the majority of Americans support removing serious criminals, the White House muddies the waters in an effort to maintain support for mass deportations.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Legal experts scoffed at the claim, and Reinert said any suspect who gets charged with a crime in Minnesota would normally be extradited to face the allegations there.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Asif said the mosque's security guards tried to intercept the suspect, who opened fire at them and then detonated his explosives among the worshippers.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In any kidnapping case, paying a ransom does not guarantee a victim's return or that there will be an opportunity to catch the perpetrator.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
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The Russian figure attempted to wrest the weapon away and was shot again in the chest before the perpetrator fled, the report noted, according to the AP.—
Alex Nitzberg,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defendant. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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