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
Four other defendants were also charged in his case, including three who pleaded guilty and served short prison terms.
—
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
The defendants have been described by one defense lawyer as being video gamers and recreational gun enthusiasts who were engaged in puffery, nothing else.
—Tresa Baldas, Freep.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Only Spotify is named as a defendant.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2025
That’s where Spanish interpreters such as Esquivias step in, especially in a busy border district where the majority of defendants are Spanish speakers.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defendant
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
The defendants have been described by one defense lawyer as being video gamers and recreational gun enthusiasts who were engaged in puffery, nothing else.
—Tresa Baldas, Freep.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Only Spotify is named as a defendant.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2025
That’s where Spanish interpreters such as Esquivias step in, especially in a busy border district where the majority of defendants are Spanish speakers.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defendant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defendant
Noun
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Conversely, the percentage of respondents who think juvenile offenders should be treated like adults has fallen from 65% in 2000 to a record-low 41% this year, the report said.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
10 Nov. 2025
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East Lansing's ordinance states that anyone found in violation will be issued a $25 fine for first time offenders.—
Eric Guzmán,
Freep.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In other court cases, some civil and some criminal, involving a total of nearly 300 additional hectares near Vlora, Shehu and his family members are accused of grabbing property through similar forgeries.—
Lindita Cela,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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The trio has a surprisingly good theory about the implosion of the makeshift Astral Pulse; seems like Shroud never found the original, and someone has been outfitting low-level criminals with bootlegs that are going awry like Robert’s.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The suspect has been identified as Alexis Hernandez, per an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
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In addition to the four men, a fifth suspect also voluntarily attended a police station to be interviewed following the raids.—
Adam Leventhal,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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But as Sollima noted to TIME, no perpetrator has been sentenced for all eight double homicides, and the initial suspects sent police in circles while the bodies kept piling up.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement The perpetrator of the attack is also never identified, an ambiguity that screenwriter Noah Oppenheim (The Maze Runner, Jackie) said was intended to prevent any audience scapegoating.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defendant. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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