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
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Recent Examples of defending
The Olympics soon will be without Sweden’s defending champion men’s team, which was officially eliminated from semifinal contention on Tuesday after a sixth loss in seven matches in round-robin play.
—
Steve Douglas, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
The Riverside native and Santa Monica High graduate went on to win five consecutive fights defending her title and becoming a global superstar along the way.
—Brian Martin, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
McLaughlin was best known for defending Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations no matter the circumstances.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
Florida just took a significant step in defending its citizens from one of the most dangerous threats facing America today — the Chinese Communist Party’s exploitation of American data, infrastructure and institutions.
—February 17, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
The defending Marmonte League champions return six all-league performers, including a standout sophomore in Holden Backus at catcher.
—Tarek Fattal, Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
Canadian coach Jon Cooper offered a measured take that acknowledged the different context of Olympic play while defending his player.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Switzerland stayed unbeaten and killed all chances of Sweden making the semifinals with a seven-end win over the defending gold medalists today in round robin play.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 17 Feb. 2026
The Lakers lost on Monday night to the Thunder, the defending NBA champions, who also have the best record in the league, and then had this back-to-back game against the tough Spurs.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Steve Douglas, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
The Riverside native and Santa Monica High graduate went on to win five consecutive fights defending her title and becoming a global superstar along the way.
—Brian Martin, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
McLaughlin was best known for defending Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations no matter the circumstances.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
Florida just took a significant step in defending its citizens from one of the most dangerous threats facing America today — the Chinese Communist Party’s exploitation of American data, infrastructure and institutions.
—February 17, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
The defending Marmonte League champions return six all-league performers, including a standout sophomore in Holden Backus at catcher.
—Tarek Fattal, Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
Canadian coach Jon Cooper offered a measured take that acknowledged the different context of Olympic play while defending his player.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Switzerland stayed unbeaten and killed all chances of Sweden making the semifinals with a seven-end win over the defending gold medalists today in round robin play.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 17 Feb. 2026
The Lakers lost on Monday night to the Thunder, the defending NBA champions, who also have the best record in the league, and then had this back-to-back game against the tough Spurs.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defending
Verb
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The staff acts as almost a mini-military– serving and protecting this metaphorical anti-war, positive energy force field.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
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Despite state and local laws restricting law enforcement from assisting immigration enforcement, California and San Diego agencies continue to work with the federal government on task forces aimed at combating cross-border crime and protecting public safety.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Every department should be submitting regular reports justifying expenses, if not their own continued existence.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
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There were outings when Flaherty looked every bit the best version of himself, justifying the Detroit Tigers’ decision to reunite with him after trading him at the 2024 deadline.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Administrator Lee Zeldin said the changes are meant to support electricity grid reliability while safeguarding human health and the environment.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
17 Feb. 2026
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Shock absorbers built into the base of the structure, meanwhile, will be tasked with safeguarding the telescope from the threat posed by earthquake tremors.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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What role should the county judge play in maintaining civility on the commissioners court and in the audience?—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
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Anna and Robert, however, despair over the imminent disruption of the family unit, and drastic, escalatingly calamitous steps are taken toward maintaining the status quo.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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He is known to be a tough-nosed defender capable of guarding four-to-five positions on the court.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Limited rib mobility interferes with the ability to breathe deeply, triggering your body’s stress response, which increases muscle tensing as a guarding mechanism.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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School administrators are squeezed between upholding the First Amendment rights of students and caving to pressures from Texas leaders who have warned of state takeovers.—
Jessica Ma,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Let it not be lost that IOC is a Western institution that has an interest in upholding the way of life Russia threatens.—
Sean Strockyj,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In a January 16 court filing supporting criminal charges against the two men, the DOJ asserted Aljorna was the one driving the vehicle.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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Eco effort Deeply committed to sea turtle conservation, Four Seasons Resort Nevis has partnered with the Sea Turtle Conservancy for over 15 years to educate and raise awareness while supporting research on migration patterns and species recovery.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defending. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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