1
as in protecting
to drive danger or attack away from
a solemn oath to defend the mother country at any cost
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justifying
to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections
she will pigheadedly defend any claim regardless of all evidence to the contrary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 defending
When Argentina picked Kansas City for its base camp, the defending World Cup champions chose to train at Sporting KC’s Compass Minerals National Performance Center and reside at the Origin Hotel.
—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
30 June 2026
Key Background Republicans will be defending slim majorities in both chambers of Congress come November.
—
Antonio Pequeño Iv,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
The author — who first came under fire in 2020 for making remarks widely condemned as transphobic — has denied being transphobic, defending her views as pro-feminist.
—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
30 June 2026
The Dodgers are the two-time defending World Series champions.
—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
30 June 2026
In December, Apple lost an appeal after defending its commission as reasonable.
—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
30 June 2026
The defending Western Conference champs pick up Quaintance, a defensive-minded bruiser with size and athleticism who projects to be a center or power forward on the next level.
—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
Jordan finishes the group stage Saturday against defending champion Argentina.
—
Darren Sabedra,
Mercury News,
23 June 2026
Belgium defeated the defending champions in the opening game of the 1982 tournament.
—
Amelie Claydon,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
30 June 2026
Key Background Republicans will be defending slim majorities in both chambers of Congress come November.
—
Antonio Pequeño Iv,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
The author — who first came under fire in 2020 for making remarks widely condemned as transphobic — has denied being transphobic, defending her views as pro-feminist.
—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
30 June 2026
The Dodgers are the two-time defending World Series champions.
—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
30 June 2026
In December, Apple lost an appeal after defending its commission as reasonable.
—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
30 June 2026
The defending Western Conference champs pick up Quaintance, a defensive-minded bruiser with size and athleticism who projects to be a center or power forward on the next level.
—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
Jordan finishes the group stage Saturday against defending champion Argentina.
—
Darren Sabedra,
Mercury News,
23 June 2026
Belgium defeated the defending champions in the opening game of the 1982 tournament.
—
Amelie Claydon,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defending
Verb
-
On Wednesday, Mayor Mary Sheffield issued an executive order directing all departments and city employees to focus on protecting the public.
-
Horror Remains a Safe Haven for Marginalized Storytellers For all the industry’s talk of protecting marginalized voices, two of the year’s most distinctive horror movies arrived with remarkably little fanfare.
Verb
-
The article emphasizes that effective communication of difficult decisions requires not only clear explanation but also genuine empathy for how people feel, rather than merely justifying actions.
-
And yet at the start of the Mass, a priest read aloud a statement justifying the consecrations as a necessary defense of the faith and criticizing how the Catholic Church today had deviated from tradition.
Verb
-
While challenges like integration complexity exist, CC is a cornerstone for safe AI innovation, offering resilience against sophisticated threats and safeguarding privacy in the evolving digital landscape.
-
Why is safeguarding the value of free speech so important to our democracy?
Verb
-
Jackson later became the executive sous chef at a downtown hotel, where his job included ensuring the quality of the food, maintaining the financials, managing people and taking responsibility for everything that came out of the kitchen.
-
They’re built with enough structure to keep their shape, while still maintaining the airy, breathable feel of beach pants.
Verb
-
Publicly, both players have been complimentary of one another, although Brooks didn’t hide his frustration on Monday when asked about guarding the two-time MVP.
-
For the past few weeks, the Valkyries’ first-ever All-Star has been anchoring Golden State’s defense in critical moments, guarding opposing bigs and sacrificing offensive opportunities for the sake of scheme.
Verb
-
Impeaching judges, sterilizing foreign visitors, dissolving the union – some prominent conservatives suggested extreme measures could be called for in the wake of a Supreme Court decision upholding birthright citizenship.
-
The global brand is very focused on wellness, and this property is steadfast in upholding the theme.
Verb
-
In a recent interview on PEOPLE in 10, Chloe opened up about supporting Halle at a screening for her You, Me & Tuscany rom-com in April.
-
Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie will be honored during ESPYS week in July with the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award for his work supporting the global autism community.
Cite this Entry
“Defending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defending. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
