fends

present tense third-person singular of fend

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fends
Verb
  • That's because federal law generally protects Social Security retirement, disability and survivor benefits from garnishment by most private creditors.
    Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 8 June 2026
  • Texas also protects a variety of other wildlife, including bats, hawks, owls, whooping cranes and all species of sea turtles, according to TPWD.
    Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • In the case before the court, Mississippi defends late-arriving ballots, noting that the Constitution gives states the right to run their own elections.
    Nina Totenberg, NPR, 9 June 2026
  • Leo simultaneously defends the secrecy of confession as religious freedom, despite critics calling it an abuse shield, and sidesteps a meeting with ex-Opus Dei members amid Argentine investigations.
    Suman Naishadham, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • Or that its status as a tradition shields it from reproach.
    Jack Lang, New York Times, 11 June 2026
  • In the layer of the upper atmosphere called the stratosphere, the gas creates a protective layer that shields Earthlings from harmful ultraviolet rays.
    Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 8 June 2026
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.

Cite this Entry

“Fends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fends. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on fends

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster