1
as in safeguards
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 excuses
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 defenses
Americans in Jordan were warned to take cover, while Kuwait and Bahrain both activated air defenses.
—
Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 11 June 2026
Iranian media outlets reported that explosions were heard or air defenses were activated in multiple cities, including Bandar Abbas, a port city in southern Iran that abuts the Strait of Hormuz.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 10 June 2026
Even with the best defenses, a few drones might sneak through to the target as Iran has been able to do with large numbers of its Shaheed drones.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 326 Ukrainian drones overnight.
—Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Moreover, the electronic warfare suite has the capability to suppress enemy air defenses and offensive counter-air using non-kinetic jamming.
—Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 10 June 2026
Every day, one defendant presents their defenses in court, answers questions from prosecutors and hopes to convince the judge to release them.
—Kaya Genç, The Dial, 9 June 2026
Or that Texas Tech, in Lubbock, winds up with one of the best defenses in the country without NIL?
—Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026
Finally, in the Oaxacan field test, the team showed that predatory wasps use the airborne distress signals to find their prey, but the relative importance of direct leaf defenses versus this indirect wasp recruitment isn’t clear.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2026
Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 11 June 2026
Iranian media outlets reported that explosions were heard or air defenses were activated in multiple cities, including Bandar Abbas, a port city in southern Iran that abuts the Strait of Hormuz.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 10 June 2026
Even with the best defenses, a few drones might sneak through to the target as Iran has been able to do with large numbers of its Shaheed drones.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 326 Ukrainian drones overnight.
—Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Moreover, the electronic warfare suite has the capability to suppress enemy air defenses and offensive counter-air using non-kinetic jamming.
—Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 10 June 2026
Every day, one defendant presents their defenses in court, answers questions from prosecutors and hopes to convince the judge to release them.
—Kaya Genç, The Dial, 9 June 2026
Or that Texas Tech, in Lubbock, winds up with one of the best defenses in the country without NIL?
—Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026
Finally, in the Oaxacan field test, the team showed that predatory wasps use the airborne distress signals to find their prey, but the relative importance of direct leaf defenses versus this indirect wasp recruitment isn’t clear.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defenses
Noun
-
However, new safeguards quickly frustrated AI researchers, who accused the company of intentionally lobotomizing Fable 5.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
11 June 2026
-
The lawsuit alleges OpenAI pushed out a series of GPT-4o updates between April and July 2025 that sought to maximize user trust but lacked safeguards.—
Lauren Fichten,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Despite these recent developments, Platner has continued to receive silence, excuses, and outright support from prominent Democrats.—
Doug Friednash,
Denver Post,
3 June 2026
-
The Seminoles and Gators, however, have no excuses.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The agreement also includes protections against subcontracting and automation.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
-
In April, Anthropic opted against releasing its latest model, Mythos, expressing concern that the tool could be used to bypass cybersecurity protections across the internet.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
There are no obvious justifications, financial or otherwise.—
Sloane Crosley,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
-
These range from narratives on the current status of Crimea and justifications for the war in Ukraine to the history of NATO and justification for Russia’s annexation of Baltic states during World War II.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
For fleeing the likes of active war zones and relentless mercenaries hot on your tracks (and, of course, living to tell the tale), Mammoth bulletproofs all the windows and protects them from closer blunt force – or hot-firing shrapnel – with MOLLE-style blast shields.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 June 2026
-
Sherrill cited public safety concerns after officials reported protesters had set tires and chairs on fire, thrown makeshift projectiles and weaponized police shields.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
In a recent segment on the Radio-Canada investigative news program Enquête, former Quebec Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx expounded further on the reasons for the rejection.—
Luke Cyphers,
Sportico.com,
8 June 2026
-
Jones stayed diplomatic in her reasons for entering the 2021 season on a mission.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Mexican authorities have previously expressed fears they could be used as weapons by rowdy fans.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
-
The company revealed that the fuze upgrades launch platforms into low-cost, effective counter-unmanned aerial system weapons to enhance reliable detonation at the optimal impact.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Cut to Lestat’s head in a toilet bowl in a motel bathroom with blood spewed all over the walls.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
-
Framed photos and decades-old show posters cover the walls of the Old Town Chinatown venue, where drag artists have performed since 1967.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defenses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defenses. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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