1
as in safeguards
means or method of defending
thorns are a rose's defense against grazing animals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excuses
an explanation that frees one from fault or blame
there's absolutely no defense for your actions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of defenses
Zelensky said in his daily address late Wednesday that Russia is moving more air defenses to the capital as well as to Valdai, a town some 300 miles northwest of Moscow and the site of a residence for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
—
Illia Novikov,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2026
Once relying on its massive missile arsenal, advances in Israeli intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance have neutered its previous strategy of relying on simultaneous barrages of missiles to overwhelm Israeli missile defenses.
—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
24 June 2026
That comes after Ukraine hit an oil facility on the outskirts of Moscow last week – a large attack that Russian air defenses scrambled to respond to, and during which a Russian defense missile appeared to miss its target and inadvertently blow the lid off an oil storage tank.
—
Daria Tarasova-Markina,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
Roughly three-quarters of institutions report more cyberattacks, with more than 90% increasing investment in defenses, and strong adoption plans for instant payment capabilities and richer data standards like ISO 20022.
—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
But with the Patriots, Brown will likely draw the attention of defenses, which could lead to opportunities for Doubs.
—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
This focus shows that military planners are increasingly worried about drone swarms, which can overwhelm defenses by sheer numbers.
—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
23 June 2026
Set over three floors, the spa offers aesthetic and wellness treatments alongside longevity analysis to determine how best to boost your body’s aging defenses.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 June 2026
Thrived as ballhandler in pick-and-rolls (94th percentile in Synergy) and repeatedly beat man defenses in the halfcourt (90th).
—
ABC News,
23 June 2026
Illia Novikov,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2026
Once relying on its massive missile arsenal, advances in Israeli intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance have neutered its previous strategy of relying on simultaneous barrages of missiles to overwhelm Israeli missile defenses.
—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
24 June 2026
That comes after Ukraine hit an oil facility on the outskirts of Moscow last week – a large attack that Russian air defenses scrambled to respond to, and during which a Russian defense missile appeared to miss its target and inadvertently blow the lid off an oil storage tank.
—
Daria Tarasova-Markina,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
Roughly three-quarters of institutions report more cyberattacks, with more than 90% increasing investment in defenses, and strong adoption plans for instant payment capabilities and richer data standards like ISO 20022.
—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
But with the Patriots, Brown will likely draw the attention of defenses, which could lead to opportunities for Doubs.
—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
This focus shows that military planners are increasingly worried about drone swarms, which can overwhelm defenses by sheer numbers.
—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
23 June 2026
Set over three floors, the spa offers aesthetic and wellness treatments alongside longevity analysis to determine how best to boost your body’s aging defenses.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 June 2026
Thrived as ballhandler in pick-and-rolls (94th percentile in Synergy) and repeatedly beat man defenses in the halfcourt (90th).
—
ABC News,
23 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defenses
Noun
-
Anthropic is urging lawmakers to impose penalties, strengthen export controls, and create legal safeguards, emphasizing this is a critical national security issue, not just a commercial dispute.
-
Realbotix said the platform includes education-specific safety controls, district oversight, and safeguards designed to prevent inappropriate responses.
Noun
-
Then turn in the most benign of public records requests — access to a calendar, for example — and prepare for weeks of delays and excuses.
-
Blaming Others Everyone makes excuses sometimes, says Shaw.
Noun
-
However, up to several hundred permanent employees are expected to lose jobs starting July 1 as well as about 1,000 workers without job protections.
-
Johnson could provide a nice defensive partner with Flagg in the front court with Johnson’s rim protections and ability to switch on the perimeter.
Noun
-
Its role is to expose wrongdoing, illuminate facts, and draw the world’s attention to crimes committed in the name of false causes and manufactured justifications.
-
Lawsuits and hearings The independent journalist Katie Phang is currently suing the Department of Justice to force it to provide justifications for many of the redactions and release additional documents.
Noun
-
On the shuttle’s exterior, people can see the gray heat shields that can take 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, while the white shields can safeguard a mere 700 degrees.
-
Five officers responded with weapons and shields, the State's Attorney's office said.
Noun
-
Whatever the reasons, the result is somewhat ironic.
-
Another possibility is that AMD made the move for performance reasons.
Noun
-
The lawsuit also faulted organizers for not ensuring attendees did not have weapons, tear gas or bear spray, for allowing attendees to enter the festival from multiple unmonitored points and for not imposing security measures after problems at previous events.
-
Radiological weapons can be detected by a Geiger counter, while chemical weapons can usually be identified by reagents, electronic sensors, and special detection sheets sensitive to things like nerve agents.
Noun
-
The walls are lined with paintings done by her husband, Igor — a painter and sculptor whom The Times profiled in 1991.
-
The household guard allows Rhaenyra and Daemon to land their dragons within the walls of the Red Keep.
Cite this Entry
“Defenses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defenses. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
