as in to protect
to drive danger or attack away from
a place of refuge where the settlers could forfend themselves from attack
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Recent Examples of forfend
What’s non-negotiable is that it must be made using a kettle, never — heaven forfend — a microwave.
—
Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025
For people who spend too much time debating politics or surfing the internet -- or, heaven forfend, doing both at the same time -- engagement with the real world can present something of a ...
—Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 23 May 2024
In the United States, instead of building more houses inside the old circle (or, heaven forfend, even closer together and near the places people go), people have built houses even further away.
—Adam Rogers, Wired, 30 Dec. 2021
But is Twitter outrage (or, heaven forfend, praise) a useful metric for audience engagement?
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 27 May 2021
Heaven forfend!
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 3 July 2020
And of course the president says oh, my gosh, heaven forfend that poor Omarosa would have to go.
—Fox News, 14 Aug. 2018
Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025
For people who spend too much time debating politics or surfing the internet -- or, heaven forfend, doing both at the same time -- engagement with the real world can present something of a ...
—Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 23 May 2024
In the United States, instead of building more houses inside the old circle (or, heaven forfend, even closer together and near the places people go), people have built houses even further away.
—Adam Rogers, Wired, 30 Dec. 2021
But is Twitter outrage (or, heaven forfend, praise) a useful metric for audience engagement?
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 27 May 2021
Heaven forfend!
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 3 July 2020
And of course the president says oh, my gosh, heaven forfend that poor Omarosa would have to go.
—Fox News, 14 Aug. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forfend
Verb
-
The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 June 2026
-
This sacrificial mechanism forces an impact to expend far more energy to penetrate the material, thereby protecting the stronger, load-bearing polymer bonds from failing during rapid deformation.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
Verb
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The Spurs clinched their spot in the championship round after outlasting Oklahoma City, defeating the defending champs on the Thunder’s home floor in Game 7 on Saturday.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
1 June 2026
-
CoreWeave has also had to defend its spending and debt load.—
Alexa LoMonaco,
CNBC,
1 June 2026
Verb
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To safeguard users every mile of the trip, the trailer has 360-degree monitoring, automotive-grade brakes (including ABS, EBD, and ESC), smoke and gas sensors, and complete vehicle diagnostics.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
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The paper’s co-authors Elgidius Ichumbaki and Peter Schmidt argue that Tanzanian state groups charged with safeguarding Laetoli and three other sites that are critical to human history have dismissed the concerns of conservationists and local communities in the interests of tourism.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Among the city’s handful of modern-day speakeasies, Danico is shielded by a velvet curtain in the back of Italian eatery Daroco in Jean-Paul Gaultier’s former flagship shop.—
Lane Nieset,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
Federal protections shield Social Security benefits from most collection efforts, though unpaid nursing home bills can still lead to lawsuits, judgments and other financial complications.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Robinson might not draw the primary defensive assignment guarding Spurs star big man Victor Wembanyama, a job that could fall to the Knicks' fleet of wings, but Robinson's offensive rebounding will be critical in not allowing second-chance opportunities.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
Earlier in the game, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson limped to the locker room after Spurs forward Harrison Barnes was pushed into his right knee.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forfend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forfend. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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