defender

noun

di-ˈfen-dər How to pronounce defender (audio)
Definition of defendernext
as in guardian
someone that protects one of the traditional roles of an older brother is that of schoolyard defender

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 defender However, the number of 6-foot-9 players who can beat defenders off the dribble with quickness can be counted on one hand. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 19 July 2026 Fernandez was carded for a reckless play that sent Spain defender Pau Cubarsi cartwheeling into the air, and the card came out immediately. — Tim Reynolds, Arkansas Online, 19 July 2026 This year’s grand marshals were a group of LGBTQ+ civil rights defenders — including the Transgender Rights Project, American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties and the Tom Homann LGBTQ+ Law Association. — Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026 Portland midfielder Diego Gonzalez struck the post minutes before halftime, while Crull had a header cleared off the line by Portland defender Brecc Evans in the 69th minute. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for defender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defender
  1. guardian
  2. custodian
  3. protector
  4. protection
  5. bodyguard
Noun
  • Parents and guardians should have open and ongoing conversations, rather than one big conversation, according to Mann.
    — Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • The ride service may contact parents and guardians of riders with teen accounts as well.
    — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
Definition of guardian
Noun
  • Authorities say Borg worked for two years as a custodian for AUSD, but lost his job in 2024 amid a conflict with another employee.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
  • Those jobs belong to a separate custodian, who manages the retirement account paperwork, and a depository, who keeps the metals secure.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 21 July 2026
Definition of custodian
Noun
  • At the heart of the celebration is Kyoto’s Yasaka Shrine, a Shinto site whose principal deity has long been revered as a protector against calamities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • The one god who periodically turns up, Zendaya’s Athena – supposedly Ulysses’ divine protector against the wrath of Zeus and Poseidon and all the rest – has surprisingly little to do in this version.
    — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 16 July 2026
Definition of protector
Noun
  • At the time, Abarca’s wife was granted an order of protection, which Abarca was charged with violating in 2025.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026
  • The allegation was just part of a drumbeat of US criticism over the cartels’ political protection rackets.
    — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of protection
Noun
  • His teammates - more akin to bodyguards this summer - do the dirty work, which leaves Messi to focus solely on unlocking the opposition’s defense with his unrivaled quality.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • While Gosselin did not reveal her boyfriend’s last name in the post, several fans commented on his resemblance to the Gosselin family’s bodyguard she was previously rumored to have had a relationship with in 2009.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026
Definition of bodyguard

Browse Nearby Words

defended
defender
defenders
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Cite this Entry

“Defender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defender. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on defender

Nglish: Translation of defender for Spanish Speakers

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