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 What makes this Riley remix different from the Big Three era is the presence of two prominent back-line defenders. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026 Isaiah West then fumbled in USC territory in the second half, and the Trojans went up 27-9 when Miller punched it in following a spectacular 70-yard reception by freshman tight end Mark Bowman, who hurdled a defender and broke multiple tackles. — Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026 Mark Bowman provided the highlight of the year from a tight end, hurdling an Ohio State defender and running through tackles on a huge catch and run. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026 The pass slipped narrowly over a Texas State defender’s helmet and perfectly into Wright’s chest. — Idaho Statesman, 1 Nov. 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 or guardians must still claim and activate those accounts before managing them.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • All the accounts of her story agree that this young heiress, named Maria de Lourdes Fernandes, witnessed the deaths of her parents; her guardian then locked her up and drove her to suicide to get her inheritance.
    — Marcus Librizzi, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of guardian
Noun
  • Two days later, the custodian provided nine documents and forwarded 11 emails from the city clerk.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Rouse said investigators reported the findings to the DA's office in July, and it was later revealed that Paparo was the records custodian for the Chester Police Department.
    — CBS Philadelphia, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of custodian
Noun
  • The 6-foot-7 junior center quickly established herself as one of the nation’s best rim protectors after transferring in from Kentucky last season.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Mixing puppetry, live theater and Indigenous percussion, the production turns familiar bogeymen into protectors while asking audiences to reconsider who — and what — poses the real danger.
    — Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of protector
Noun
  • Read that provision closely and mind its deadline, because the protection only lasts for a set window.
    — Gary Singer, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Modern environmental protection requires advanced technology, and thus, undermining innovation is not the answer.
    — Max Harden, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of protection
Noun
  • And listen, a number of people went to the hospital for dehydration, including the bodyguard.
    — Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Set in the 1980s, the series will follow Marckinkus from his beginnings as Pope Paul VI’s unofficial bodyguard to his tenure at the helm of the Vatican’s finances.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 20 Oct. 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 2 Nov. 2026.

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