Synonyms of defends

defends

verb

present tense third-person singular of defend

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

• protects
• shields
• safeguards
• guards
• fends
• secures
• keeps
• prevents
• fences
• saves
• opposes
• covers
• wards
• resists
• forfends
• preserves
• bulwarks
• stands up for
• averts
• conserves
• withstands
• screens
• contends
• wars
• fights
• walls
• battles
• buffers
• pickets
• palisades

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• attacks
• assails
• assaults
• bombards
• submits
• overruns
• besets
• storms
• yields
• besieges
• capitulates
• caves

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• justifies
• maintains
• upholds
• supports
• asserts
• affirms
• advocates
• proclaims
• discusses
• confirms
• argues
• insists
• pleads
• sticks up for
• contends
• espouses
• stands up for
• emphasizes
• claims
• champions
• professes
• vindicates
• states
• avers
• protests
• underlines
• debates
• avows
• underscores
• warrants
• stresses
• avouches

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• abandons
• withdraws
• retracts
• forsakes
• reverses
• takes back
• switches
• refutes
• abjures
• recants
• rebuts
• disproves
• controverts

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of defends

Continue reading … FACING SCRUTINY — Anthropic CEO defends record on safety, sales to China. — FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Saturday is supposed to be a reward for another week of work, which is why Freeman so fiercely defends the right to celebrate all Notre Dame’s wins. — Pete Sampson, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2026

Hugo Weaving plays a brilliant but disgraced attorney, drowning in debt, who reluctantly defends an allegedly dangerous dog, battling to save its life. — Emily Longeretta, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the country. — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 7 Oct. 2026

Different views on the topic Hilton defends the ad as a humorous, provocative way to reach Californians who are dissatisfied with the state’s direction but might not ordinarily consider voting Republican. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

The White House defends the spots as educational public service announcements. — Mariam Khan, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2026

She was also endorsed by Moms for Liberty, a parental rights advocacy group, and the California Rifle and Pistol Association, a nonprofit that defends gun rights. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Having taken home the top spot on the 50 Top Pizza list three years in a row and coming in a respectable second place in this edition, Una Pizza Napoletana defends its aptonym well. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Sep. 2026