DEFENDANT Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

defendant

noun

Definition of defendant

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

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 defendant Whether defendant Tyler Robinson acted out of political animus could be key for prosecutors seeking the death penalty — or for his attorneys in taking that punishment off the table. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026 Whether defendant Tyler Robinson acted out of political animus could be key for prosecutors seeking the death penalty - or for his attorneys in taking that punishment off the table. — CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 With thousands of defendants and countless individualized schedules, effective oversight becomes extraordinarily difficult. — Eileen Burke, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026 Havana said 40 defendants had faced criminal proceedings between 2023 and 2025, with 26 convicted. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for defendant

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defendant

Noun

Dismissal of the charges follows 51-year-old Vem Miller’s completion of a county program that allows first-time, low-level offenders to have their criminal charges dropped and arrest records sealed after completing a set of requirements.

— Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
If developmental science justifies treating adolescent offenders differently from adults, then that same science should also inform how Connecticut recognizes, protects, and supports adolescent victims.

— Keith Wortz, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of offender

Noun

Spencer says filmmaker Douglas wanted to very much focus mostly on the women rather than talking about the criminals.

— Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2026
Depending on the plan, monitoring may cover credit activity, financial accounts, investment and retirement accounts, phone takeovers, SIM swaps, utility accounts and other areas where criminals may try to use your identity.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of criminal

Noun

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department No information was immediately available on a suspect in the ongoing investigation.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Corado was shot when the suspect and police exchanged gunfire, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

— City News Service, Daily News, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of suspect

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defendable

defendant

defendants

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“Defendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defendant. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of defendant

noun

Example Sentences

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