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
Still, the Seahawks will be that much more difficult to stop now that opposing defenses have another legit pass-catching threat to account for.
—
Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Pollinators, beneficial insects, and wildlife can all quickly become collateral damage, as outdoor pest control gradually breaks down their natural defenses.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
The move comes amid escalating Russian attacks using waves of Shahed-136 drones and missile salvos meant to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
With corporations strengthening their defenses, hackers are finding new targets.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Nov. 2025
Influential Russian military bloggers have reported the heavy use of drones and smaller mobile units to disrupt Ukrainian defenses.
—Elmira Aliieva, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2025
Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and others must do more to strengthen their own defenses and resilience.
—Eyck Freymann, Time, 4 Nov. 2025
The Dallas Cowboys are bringing reinforcements for one of the worst defenses in the NFL.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
More physical defenses, a bigger stockpile of spare parts, greater grid transmission capacity from Europe, and backup supplies of natural gas are all urgently needed, the IEA said in an analysis of Ukraine’s readiness this week.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Pollinators, beneficial insects, and wildlife can all quickly become collateral damage, as outdoor pest control gradually breaks down their natural defenses.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
The move comes amid escalating Russian attacks using waves of Shahed-136 drones and missile salvos meant to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
With corporations strengthening their defenses, hackers are finding new targets.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Nov. 2025
Influential Russian military bloggers have reported the heavy use of drones and smaller mobile units to disrupt Ukrainian defenses.
—Elmira Aliieva, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2025
Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and others must do more to strengthen their own defenses and resilience.
—Eyck Freymann, Time, 4 Nov. 2025
The Dallas Cowboys are bringing reinforcements for one of the worst defenses in the NFL.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
More physical defenses, a bigger stockpile of spare parts, greater grid transmission capacity from Europe, and backup supplies of natural gas are all urgently needed, the IEA said in an analysis of Ukraine’s readiness this week.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defenses
Noun
-
But the lawsuits argue these safeguards failed.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Shamblin’s parents are now suing OpenAI – ChatGPT’s creator – alleging the tech giant put his life in danger by tweaking its design last year to be more humanlike and by failing to put enough safeguards on interactions with users in need of emergency help.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The excuses have more to do with political expediency and gas lobbying than reality.—
Anshul Gupta,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
There can be no excuses because the general team performance against mid-table Fulham had plenty in common with those that had gone before it.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Bears were once hunted so much in Japan that their population dropped precipitously – but environmental protections were introduced in the 1990s, allowing the bear population to recover.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
However, many legal analysts believe the justices will not overturn the precedent, and some additional legal protections for same-sex married couples were passed into federal law in 2022.—
Jason Lemon,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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To say nothing about the thorny question of its genre—do Eastern European writers need to provide more explanations and justifications when using the technique of autofiction?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Traditionally, one of the key justifications for teamwork has been its psychological benefits—the energy that comes from collaboration, the reduced stress of shared responsibility, the excitement of building on each other’s ideas.—
François Candelon,
Fortune,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
For Dimon, bureaucracy is a reflex that creeps into any large institution and shields leaders from reality.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Even the combative Venezuela of eight years ago, where kids with homemade shields assembled in the streets day after day to battle the dictatorship’s goons, is a fading memory.—
Quico Toro,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Human rights organizations have renewed their criticism, airing concerns about the persecution of dissent in a country where more than 800 people are behind bars for political reasons, according to the legal rights organization Foro Penal.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Lea is an Elko protégé and could appeal to PSU for many of the same reasons.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
When Israel launched the surprise war against Iran last summer, the depth of its infiltration became evident when it was revealed that Israeli intelligence agents smuggled weapons into the country and used them to strike high-value targets from within Iranian territory.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
7 Jan. 2026
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Ole Miss has enough dangerous weapons in quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy and wide receivers Harrison Wallace III, De’Zhaun Stribling and Deuce Alexander to make a tired defense pay.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The area increased to 80% by 2018, according to state media, after numerous buildings and city walls were restored, and 135 temporary structures inside the compound were torn down.—
Fred He,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Some critics called for more editorial discipline in the film, or found Lawrence’s onscreen spin cycle of anguish, which involves literally clawing her way up walls or flinging herself through glass doors, to be repetitive.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defenses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defenses. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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