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defend

/dɪˈfɛnd/verb2 syllables

Defend means: fight against or resist strongly.

Synonyms for defend23

verb, as in fight against or resist strongly

fight, oppose, fight back, fight down

verb, as in protect against a challenge or attack

verb, as in argue or speak in defense of

support, fend for

verb, as in protect or fight for as a champion

verb, as in be the defense counsel for someone in a trial

verb, as in state or assert

also used for defend

beshield, beward, brood, cape for, fend, preserve, protect, safeguard, secure, shelter, shield, ward

Includes material from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Opposites of defend

What does defend mean?7

verb

1

fight against or resist strongly“The senator said he would oppose the bill”

2

protect against a challenge or attack“Hold that position behind the trees!”

3

argue or speak in defense of“She supported the motion to strike”

4

protect or fight for as a champion

5

be the defense counsel for someone in a trial“Ms. Smith will represent the defendant”

6

state or assert“He maintained his innocence”

7

be on the defensive; act against an attack

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

What rhymes with defend?28

Show 40 near rhymes

All 28 rhymes for defend, grouped by syllable

Defend in a sentence

  • Tell me, do you defend that man's audacity?carlosalberto
  • Both sexes defend the nesting site, although most defense is done by the male.CM
  • During the breeding season, male lions will defend their territory and mate with females.Amastan
  • During mating season, male lions will fiercely defend their territory from other males.Amastan
  • We have to defend our country, whatever the cost.morbrorper
  • To defend the city, they built an elaborate system of tunnels of their own.Amastan
  • To defend ourselves, we had to tell a lie.unknown
  • Apart from his parents, nobody would defend the suspect.unknown

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.

Forms of defend

as a verb

past tense
defended
present participle
defending
third-person singular
defends
past participle
defended