defend
dih-FEHND
Defend (verb) means to protect someone or something from attack or harm. Example: “The soldiers defended the border for weeks.”
verb
1
To protect someone or something from attack or harm.
"The soldiers defended the border for weeks."
"A good goalkeeper knows how to defend the near post."
"Villagers built a wall to defend their homes against the rising river."
2
To speak or argue in support of someone or something being criticised.
"She defended her decision to the board."
"He always defends his brother when other people criticise his cooking."
"I will defend that film to anyone who calls it boring."
3
To represent an accused person in a legal case.
"She trained for years so she could defend clients who could not afford a solicitor."
"Who will defend the accused when the case reaches court next week?"
"The lawyer agreed to defend him at trial."
How to use defend
Learner’s notes
Common pairings
defend a title
defend your position
defend the accused
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like defend.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Third person singular
- defends
- Past tense
- defended
- Archaic forms
- defendest, defendedst, defendeth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The soldiers _____ the border for weeks.
Etymology
From Old French defendre, from Latin dēfendere ("to ward off"), which displaced the native Old English word bewerian.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “defend” mean?
The word “defend” means to protect someone or something from attack or harm.
How do you pronounce “defend”?
“Defend” is pronounced dih-FEHND (/dɪˈfɛnd/ in IPA).
How do you use “defend” in a sentence?
Here is “defend” used in a sentence: “The soldiers defended the border for weeks.”
What is another word for “defend”?
Words with a similar meaning to “defend” include beshield, beward, brood, cape for, fend and guard.
What is the opposite of “defend”?
The opposite of “defend” — its antonyms — is attack.
What part of speech is “defend”?
“Defend” is a verb.
Where does the word “defend” come from?
The word “defend” comes from Latin. From Old French defendre, from Latin dēfendere ("to ward off"), which displaced the native Old English word bewerian.
Is “defend” a common word?
“Defend” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between defend and protect?
Both mean to keep someone or something from harm, but defend suggests active resistance against a threat or attack that is already present — a fort, a title, an argument. Protect is broader and often preventive, guarding against possible harm before it strikes, as sunscreen protects skin. You defend under attack; you protect in advance.
What are the different meanings of defend?
Beyond physically shielding someone from attack, defend has several uses. In debate it means to argue in support of an idea or justify an action. In law it means to represent an accused person in court. In sport it means to guard your goal or area and stop opponents from scoring.
What is the opposite of defend?
The main opposite is attack, along with words like assault and assail, which mean to strike at rather than shield. Depending on the sense, 'abandon' can also oppose it, since to defend is to stand by and guard something, while abandoning it leaves that thing exposed and unprotected.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include defend:
