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
Keller stymies defending champ Coppell Claire Garritson scored the game-winning goal in the second half and Keller hung on to beat defending state champion Coppell 2-1 in the Class 6A Division 1 Region 1 Final on Tuesday night at Keller High School.
—
Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
During the 2002 World Cup, fans across Africa celebrated Senegal’s upset victory over defending champion France, its former colonizer, as a symbol of liberation.
—Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
The foundation has been defending Lindsay Hoopes for free.
—John Ramos, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
The five-episode focus on the Seahawks, starting August 11, will be the first time Hard Knocks has featured the defending Super Bowl champion since the show’s debut in 2001 with the Baltimore Ravens.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
According to the spokesperson, while the US has conveyed requests for negotiations and proposals through intermediaries, including Pakistan, Iran’s current priority is defending itself against ongoing attacks.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
Because Sunday night in Oklahoma City felt like a potential NBA Finals preview, the Knicks as championship hopefuls against the defending champion Thunder.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 2026
Rosary is the defending champion.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Tech companies are used to defending their systems against hackers.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 24 Mar. 2026
Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
During the 2002 World Cup, fans across Africa celebrated Senegal’s upset victory over defending champion France, its former colonizer, as a symbol of liberation.
—Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
The foundation has been defending Lindsay Hoopes for free.
—John Ramos, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
The five-episode focus on the Seahawks, starting August 11, will be the first time Hard Knocks has featured the defending Super Bowl champion since the show’s debut in 2001 with the Baltimore Ravens.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
According to the spokesperson, while the US has conveyed requests for negotiations and proposals through intermediaries, including Pakistan, Iran’s current priority is defending itself against ongoing attacks.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
Because Sunday night in Oklahoma City felt like a potential NBA Finals preview, the Knicks as championship hopefuls against the defending champion Thunder.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 2026
Rosary is the defending champion.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Tech companies are used to defending their systems against hackers.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defending
Verb
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However, brain activity is a crucial element in protecting against that damage.—
Kaan Ozcan,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2026
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Reducing and monitoring traffic, specifically in residential and walkable areas, is a vital step in protecting locals, Cuthell said.—
Madison Beveridge,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Smith, the leading kratom researcher, has said the emphasis on semisynthetic 7-OH is odd because there is no evidence justifying it, and because the natural kratom alkaloid mitragynine still converts to 7-OH during manufacturing and in the body.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
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For CFOs, the challenge is justifying AI spending before returns are visible.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That’s partly because countries around the world have begun to enact measures aimed at safeguarding youth from the perils of social media.—
Jeanne Bonner,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
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The Macao government said in a statement that the bill passed Thursday is of great significance for effectively safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In battleground districts, 84% of voters support maintaining Medicare Advantage funding.—
Joe Hardy,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
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Engineers must ensure that the bag volume and heat exchanger capacity scale up accordingly, all while maintaining sterility and easy bedside handling.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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No one else was shot or killed, including members of the presidential security detail who were supposed to be guarding the family.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
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Pope sounded ready to go, even anticipating taking on the challenge of guarding Purdue’s star guard Braden Smith, who broke the NCAA Division I all-time assist record on Friday against Queens.—
Christian Babcock,
Mercury News,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Medical licensure boards such as the Texas Medical Board and the Texas Board of Nursing are responsible for upholding medical professional standards no matter where an individual provides care.—
Emily Brindley
Health Reporter,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Independence’s new artificial intelligence data center is moving forward after a Wednesday court decision upholding extensive tax breaks for the project.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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His wife spent 10 years as a paraprofessional at Liggett Trail Early Childhood Center, supporting children with developmental disabilities.—
Joseph Hernandez
March 29,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
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The goggles, the GPS address and the laptop — all of it was strong evidence supporting the bizarre story Denise and Aaron had been telling all along.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defending. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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