1
as in protecting
to drive danger or attack away from
a solemn oath to defend the mother country at any cost
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justifying
to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections
she will pigheadedly defend any claim regardless of all evidence to the contrary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 defending
The park is also home to the Groton Monument, which is dedicated to the American soldiers who died while defending the fort.
—
Usa Today Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026
At that point, Brazil—the defending champions who would go on to win the tournament—leads 2-1 on a pair of goals by Garrincha.
—Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Bass has called for hiring more officers and defending her Inside Safe homelessness program, while Raman has criticized the cost of police raises, called for broader public-safety responses and argued that the city needs a more accountable and cost-effective homelessness system.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 9 June 2026
Only a handful of tickets appear to remain unsold for the match that will feature Lionel Messi and the defending World Cup champions.
—Kellis Robinett, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2026
Other nasty budget surprises include major repair items that cannot wait after being discovered, or major legal expenses from defending lawsuits.
—Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026
Le Monde published two different tribunes, on Monday and Tuesday, defending Lapid.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 9 June 2026
The Spurs knocked off the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the 2026 Western Conference Finals en route to their first finals appearance since winning the title in 2014.
—Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
In the first trailer for Adam Wingard’s Onslaught, Adria Arjona plays a young mother and veteran defending her adorable child and trailer park community from an army of what appear to be glowing-eyed super-soldiers built like pro wrestlers.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Usa Today Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026
At that point, Brazil—the defending champions who would go on to win the tournament—leads 2-1 on a pair of goals by Garrincha.
—Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Bass has called for hiring more officers and defending her Inside Safe homelessness program, while Raman has criticized the cost of police raises, called for broader public-safety responses and argued that the city needs a more accountable and cost-effective homelessness system.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 9 June 2026
Only a handful of tickets appear to remain unsold for the match that will feature Lionel Messi and the defending World Cup champions.
—Kellis Robinett, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2026
Other nasty budget surprises include major repair items that cannot wait after being discovered, or major legal expenses from defending lawsuits.
—Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026
Le Monde published two different tribunes, on Monday and Tuesday, defending Lapid.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 9 June 2026
The Spurs knocked off the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the 2026 Western Conference Finals en route to their first finals appearance since winning the title in 2014.
—Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
In the first trailer for Adam Wingard’s Onslaught, Adria Arjona plays a young mother and veteran defending her adorable child and trailer park community from an army of what appear to be glowing-eyed super-soldiers built like pro wrestlers.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defending
Verb
-
Stoltzfus and his team are deeply involved in protecting the broader Platte River ecosystem, a vital habitat that supports more than 240 species, including terns and bald eagles, year-round.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
These burn areas create barriers around villages, headwaters and sensitive sites, protecting them from wildfires during peak drought.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
But Adraee has been accused of justifying the killing of some journalists.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
-
But Adraee has been accused of justifying the killing of some journalists.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Hong Kong authorities said the law clearly stipulates that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
-
Leikauf said his top priorities include safeguarding public funds, increasing efficiency and providing accountability.—
Corey Schmidt,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The price tag comes from the California State Auditor’s report that was issued last fall, which found that maintaining similar telework policies could potentially save $225 million annually by reducing the government’s office space footprint.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
6 June 2026
-
As military missions become increasingly data-driven and geographically dispersed, platforms that provide resilient, secure, and efficient communications will play a vital role in maintaining operational readiness.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Robinson might not draw the primary defensive assignment guarding Spurs star big man Victor Wembanyama, a job that could fall to the Knicks' fleet of wings, but Robinson's offensive rebounding will be critical in not allowing second-chance opportunities.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
This nickel corner competition will be interesting with Thornton; the soon-to-be second-year player made a play last week guarding wide receiver Chris Brazzell on a deep pass.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
There are few guidelines on how to deal with rumors while upholding conventional values of accuracy, verification, and transparency.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
28 May 2026
-
About 1 in 3 states didn’t even employ one staffer whose full-time job was to ensure that nonprofit funds were properly managed and that people in their states who ran nonprofits were upholding their financial and ethical duties, according to the survey.—
Sarah Webber,
Fortune,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
Let’s remember the wisdom of our leaders in supporting the humanitarian aid that gave people a chance to rebuild from the war.—
William Lambers,
Hartford Courant,
6 June 2026
-
Others are hemorrhaging money from divorce, supporting adult children or overextended on mortgage debt.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defending. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
