1
as in protects
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 justifies
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 defends
Continue reading … JUDGE ON TRIAL — Supreme Court justice defends Grammys attendance as senator calls for investigation.
—
FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots throws a pass while Devon Witherspoon of the Seattle Seahawks defends.
—Tim Rohan, NBC news, 9 Feb. 2026
Ameen Alai of Broomfield during defends the use of ibogaine in a podcast interview in September 2025.
—Logan Smith, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
Erika defends Dorit while also coming for Amanda, saying that Amanda has told them a lot about her business and her accolades but hasn’t shared anything more personal.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
On both page and stage, Benedict attends a party where Sophie is working, defends her against her lecherous employer, then whisks them both away to his cottage, where Benedict recovers from an injury sustained in the confrontation.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 30 Jan. 2026
The wildlife advocacy group defends the wolves of Yellowstone National Park and the Rocky Mountains.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights organizes, educates, and defends immigrant communities, pairing on-the-ground support with an unflinching push for a more humane national policy.
—Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Sins of Kujo, adapted from Shohei Manabe’s manga, casts Yuya Yagira as a morally ambiguous lawyer who defends society’s most reprehensible figures, a dark, adult-skewing legal drama.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots throws a pass while Devon Witherspoon of the Seattle Seahawks defends.
—Tim Rohan, NBC news, 9 Feb. 2026
Ameen Alai of Broomfield during defends the use of ibogaine in a podcast interview in September 2025.
—Logan Smith, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
Erika defends Dorit while also coming for Amanda, saying that Amanda has told them a lot about her business and her accolades but hasn’t shared anything more personal.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
On both page and stage, Benedict attends a party where Sophie is working, defends her against her lecherous employer, then whisks them both away to his cottage, where Benedict recovers from an injury sustained in the confrontation.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 30 Jan. 2026
The wildlife advocacy group defends the wolves of Yellowstone National Park and the Rocky Mountains.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights organizes, educates, and defends immigrant communities, pairing on-the-ground support with an unflinching push for a more humane national policy.
—Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Sins of Kujo, adapted from Shohei Manabe’s manga, casts Yuya Yagira as a morally ambiguous lawyer who defends society’s most reprehensible figures, a dark, adult-skewing legal drama.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defends
Verb
-
But the slow drip of revelations has reinforced a perception that power protects itself and that ordinary citizens live under a different standard.—
Kaitlyn Buss,
Boston Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The texture-smoothing formula also includes cupuaçu butter—another moisture-locking workhorse—as well as caffeine, which helps boost collagen production, reduces puffiness, and protects skin from environmental damage.—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Every clash justifies the next.—
Joe Palaggi,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Cole justifies The Fall-Off’s double-disc length by focusing each half on a trip home, at ages 29 and 39, representing two different points in his mission to be the greatest.—
Benny Sun,
Pitchfork,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence.—
Barbara Hoberock,
Oklahoman,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The sneaker’s tongue and shoelaces appear to have been given a vintage-esque off-white treatment, and the black toe features a new ripstop material, but the style otherwise maintains the original details of the 1995 Neon colorway.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Can anyone claim that the current policy upholds this principle?—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Feb. 2026
-
In a league that still recites diversity statements and upholds Rooney Rule interview requirements, no Black head coaches were hired.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Nexus One now supports job-aware observability, allowing operators to correlate network behavior directly with GPU workloads.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Strategic movement, however, preserves neuromuscular connections, supports healthy blood flow, and helps the body maintain strength and mobility.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defends. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
