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

Hamzah Sheeraz defends his WBO super middleweight belt against Simon Zachenhuber, and Josh Kelly defends the IBF junior middleweight title against Caoimhin Agyarko. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Cunningham defends and protects the most popular figure in women's sports. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026

Kalshi’s new product tests the limits of the CFTC’s permissiveness while the agency actively defends its ability to oversee prediction markets in court. — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 9 July 2026

Waymo defends its safety record, saying that Waymo vehicles were involved in 94% fewer crashes that caused serious or fatal injury compared to human drivers in the same areas. — Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026

As Argentina defends its World Cup title and Messi nears a final tournament, the Valley deli showcases soccer as national faith and global bridge. — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

Based on Harper Lee's seminal novel, the movie casts Gregory Peck as lawyer Atticus Finch, who in Depression-era Alabama defends a Black man wrongly accused of raping a young white woman. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026

The administration defends its actions, including massive layoffs at government health agencies, as necessary to eliminate wasteful spending. — Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 1 July 2026

Wine mogul David Trone is spending big in a comeback bid as wealthy incumbent April McClain Delaney aggressively defends her seat. — Erin Cox, Washington Post, 23 June 2026