as in to protect
to drive danger or attack away from
learned to use humor to fend herself from criticism
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fend
Farms were razed, and cats and dogs were left to fend for themselves as families were repeatedly displaced from their homes by the Israeli airstrikes.
—
Irus Braverman, The Conversation, 27 Apr. 2026
When the shots rang out last night at the Washington Hilton, multiple teams flooded into the rooms to find their protectees and get them out, climbing over chairs—in some cases with guns drawn or hand on holster—and sometimes leaving spouses, colleagues, and others to fend for themselves.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2026
Two kids fend for themselves after their Haitian parents are deported after an immigration check-in.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
Still, the people of Gaza cannot wholly fend for themselves.
—José Andrés, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fend
Irus Braverman, The Conversation, 27 Apr. 2026
When the shots rang out last night at the Washington Hilton, multiple teams flooded into the rooms to find their protectees and get them out, climbing over chairs—in some cases with guns drawn or hand on holster—and sometimes leaving spouses, colleagues, and others to fend for themselves.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2026
Two kids fend for themselves after their Haitian parents are deported after an immigration check-in.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
Still, the people of Gaza cannot wholly fend for themselves.
—José Andrés, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fend
Verb
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The best carry-ons are durable enough to protect delicate items inside and withstand wear and tear, compact yet spacious enough to meet airline guidelines while providing room for all your essentials, and lightweight enough to lift into overhead bins.—
Paris Wilson,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Apr. 2026
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The two then embarked on a torrid love affair, but the dynamic between them shifted violently when Nancy discovered that her husband was actually trying to protect her rather than divorce her.—
Max Gao,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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By the second quarter, Philadelphia was done defending him.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
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Giuliani’s time in office was marked by a crackdown on crime, but race relations eroded as Giuliani defended the police against accusations of bias and brutality.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
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The system successfully protected the data center from grid instability and also safeguarded the grid from the major load swings generated by the data center.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
29 Apr. 2026
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For now, the Prado is not exhibiting the work so much as safeguarding it, turning a private divorce into a public custody battle over one of the few Velázquez paintings still outside institutional hands.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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While Metcalf’s Linda adopts a facade of stoicism to shield her family from the grief erupting in her, Abbott’s Biff is forced to reveal the broken man behind the defiant veneer.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
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The southern façade, for instance, is entirely solid—no windows, no openings—to shield the interior from the most brutal solar rays.—
Nick Mafi,
Architectural Digest,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Anunoby began the series primarily guarding 6-10 center Onyeka Okongwu, a shooting threat who thrives at the pick-and-pop.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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Lakers guard Jerry West hits a 60-foot desperation shot at the buzzer to tie Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fend. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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