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 defendant did not ask questions about the letter prosecutors introduced into evidence.
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Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 June 2026
The defendants in the lawsuit — which also include BP, Speedway, EG America, Walmart and Albertsons — collectively operate more than 1,700 gas stations in California, according to the lawsuit.
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ABC News,
24 June 2026
Each of the four defendants faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the charges.
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Anna Schecter,
CBS News,
24 June 2026
Several other defendants also face possible life sentences, including Kenna Middleton, 45; Leviticus Blash, 42; Chrystal Dunn, 37; and brothers Jeff and Tysean Richardson, both 23.
—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for defendant
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 June 2026
The defendants in the lawsuit — which also include BP, Speedway, EG America, Walmart and Albertsons — collectively operate more than 1,700 gas stations in California, according to the lawsuit.
—
ABC News,
24 June 2026
Each of the four defendants faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the charges.
—
Anna Schecter,
CBS News,
24 June 2026
Several other defendants also face possible life sentences, including Kenna Middleton, 45; Leviticus Blash, 42; Chrystal Dunn, 37; and brothers Jeff and Tysean Richardson, both 23.
—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for defendant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defendant
Noun
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Deputies responded to the area and identified an undisclosed number of juveniles as the offenders, officials said.
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Washington faces decisions about whether to sanction firms that engage in distillation, restrict the chips and cloud infrastructure that support it, and create legal safe harbors for American AI labs to share threat intelligence about offenders.
Noun
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What begins as a chance to escape the routine of his everyday life quickly spirals into a dangerous gathering of powerful criminals, old enemies, and unresolved loyalties.
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That creates the perfect opening for criminals.
Noun
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The suspect, identified by officials as a 21-year-old man, shot him with a shotgun.
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Fox News Digital previously reported on 911 call audio and police reports obtained through a public records request showing the suspect was released to his father after the alleged hit-and-run.
Noun
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Incel ideology tied to past attacks Incel ideology has been linked to other mass killings in Canada, including the 2018 Toronto van attack, when a perpetrator who identified as an incel drove down a crowded sidewalk and deliberately killed 10 people.
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The perpetrator was sentenced to 13 years in prison in March.
Cite this Entry
“Defendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defendant. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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