1
as in ammunition
means or method of defending
thorns are a rose's defense against grazing animals
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excuse
an explanation that frees one from fault or blame
there's absolutely no defense for your actions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defense
The military’s purpose is national defense, not managing domestic dissent.
—
Brielle Miller, Baltimore Sun, 9 Mar. 2026
The Jets further revamped their defense by agreeing to deals with former Saints linebacker Demario Davis, who will return for a third stint in New York, and former Bengals edge rusher Joseph Ossai.
—Schuyler Dixon, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
Searching for his spots on the floor and taking what Milwaukee’s defense gave him, Banchero shot 3 for 4 from 3-point range in the second quarter.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
The Cowboys are also expected to run a lot of nickel defense.
—Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defense
Brielle Miller, Baltimore Sun, 9 Mar. 2026
The Jets further revamped their defense by agreeing to deals with former Saints linebacker Demario Davis, who will return for a third stint in New York, and former Bengals edge rusher Joseph Ossai.
—Schuyler Dixon, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
Searching for his spots on the floor and taking what Milwaukee’s defense gave him, Banchero shot 3 for 4 from 3-point range in the second quarter.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
The Cowboys are also expected to run a lot of nickel defense.
—Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defense
Noun
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Noting some confusion over the like-for-like numbers this year, given recent changes to the business structure, the analysts said that weapon and ammunition growth will remain elevated, and there is scope for its naval business to be resilient, too.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
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Videos published by Islamic State West Africa Province showed massive weaponry and ammunition, as well as dozens of motorcycles and vehicles that the extremists said were captured during the raids.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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For others, the change is permanent and becomes a great excuse to go shoe shopping.—
Jennifer Byrne,
Popular Science,
5 Mar. 2026
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But these justifications also feel like something of an excuse.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, Australia granted asylum to five members of the Iranian women's soccer team Monday, after demands from human rights organizations, soccer unions and Trump that they be given protection.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
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The shift risks creating uneven protections, as state offices lack the federal power to threaten schools with funding cuts.—
Collin Binkley,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In other words, experts say, any city rebate program must serve a legitimate public purpose and cannot be structured solely to provide financial benefits to a particular group, such as seniors, without a broader justification.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
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Iran cites the Abu Dhabi’s decades-long strategic alliance with Washington as a justification for the attacks.—
Paula Hancocks,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The device could also be used to damp vibrations in aerospace vehicles, ships, and aircraft, and to provide a shield for sensitive military hardware and scientific instruments that are vulnerable to sudden shock.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
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Some oversized shield sunglasses, along with a handbag and stilettos adorned with Gucci's signature Horsebit hardware, topped off her edgy ensemble.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The reasons for this are manifold, but include the fact that the Academy’s directors’ branch, which decides on the nominations, is still predominantly male, and has historically overlooked the work of women.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
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Mansfield Summit Coach Emund Pritchett said the program lost 7 players from last year’s team for various reasons, but some could’ve been back.—
Cody Thorn,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The group pummelled the bot with more than 1,000 prompts to bypass the safeguards and convince Claude they were allowed to test the system for vulnerabilities.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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The case is likely to intensify scrutiny over how large language models handle vulnerable users and whether current safeguards are sufficient.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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When the war in Ukraine began in 2022, Kyiv banned weapons exports.—
Samya Kullab,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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This weapon is rarely discussed publicly and does not appear to have been widely shown before.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defense. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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