1
as in protects
to drive danger or attack away from
a solemn oath to defend the mother country at any cost
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justifies
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defends
Prosecutor defends plea agreement Two men accused of firing shots after the 2024 Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory rally are still awaiting trial.
—
Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
Cronin defends sideline intensity Sunday’s matchup is one of those that could have an alternate broadcast with cameras locked on both coaching boxes.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
That could put all users — not just parents or children — at risk of data breaches, said Rin Alajaji, associate director of state affairs at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit that defends civil liberties online.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
The blend of green tea, panthenol, and bisabolol defends against oxidative stress, while another exclusive ingredient—ZincSync Tint Technology—helps minimize white cast.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2026
Without Richie Saunders, done with a knee injury, BYU defends no one.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 15 Mar. 2026
Their rim protection is excellent, and UNC defends it without fouling, but those are better traits for playing against a top-tier team.
—Peter Keating, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Star mentalist Nevo Abutbul defends peer Oz Pearlman in a new Entertainment Weekly interview.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
Preckwinkle, a former history teacher, typically defends her record like the head of a classroom, emphasizing context, flipping through prepared statements, and often tersely making her case or deferring to deputies with expertise.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
Cronin defends sideline intensity Sunday’s matchup is one of those that could have an alternate broadcast with cameras locked on both coaching boxes.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
That could put all users — not just parents or children — at risk of data breaches, said Rin Alajaji, associate director of state affairs at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit that defends civil liberties online.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
The blend of green tea, panthenol, and bisabolol defends against oxidative stress, while another exclusive ingredient—ZincSync Tint Technology—helps minimize white cast.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2026
Without Richie Saunders, done with a knee injury, BYU defends no one.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 15 Mar. 2026
Their rim protection is excellent, and UNC defends it without fouling, but those are better traits for playing against a top-tier team.
—Peter Keating, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Star mentalist Nevo Abutbul defends peer Oz Pearlman in a new Entertainment Weekly interview.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
Preckwinkle, a former history teacher, typically defends her record like the head of a classroom, emphasizing context, flipping through prepared statements, and often tersely making her case or deferring to deputies with expertise.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defends
Verb
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Proponents say the bill addresses a shortage of foster homes in Missouri and protects religious freedom.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
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If someone pushes you to rush, keep your tone measured and propose a reasonable deadline that protects quality and keeps expectations aligned.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This justifies using the average premium SVOD churn rate, even though Paramount+ has traditionally fallen short of it.—
Andrew Root,
Sportico.com,
27 Feb. 2026
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The constraint, Dolci says, is not audience demand – the performance of existing screens more than justifies expansion – but the availability of suitable sites.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Southwest Airlines maintains a clear point of view.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
29 Mar. 2026
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Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence.—
Rhiannon Evans,
Baltimore Sun,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Monday's Supreme Court ruling Monday’s decision upholds a lower court ruling that denied DNA testing of the belt.—
Faith Bugenhagen,
Austin American Statesman,
24 Mar. 2026
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The Giants need a hierarchy, a leadership group of veterans that upholds a standard, one voice from the head coach on down that does not tolerate rookies, second-year players and guys not on the field putting the rest of the group in the public eye for the wrong reasons.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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From his perspective, this approach supports a more cohesive working environment where teams can operate effectively without excessive oversight.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
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Walmart introduced an in-app ChatGPT service on Tuesday that supports linking, loyalty and Walmart payments, OpenAI said.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defends. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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