defend

The word “defend” means to protect someone or something from attack or harm.

“Defend” is pronounced dih-FEHND (/dɪˈfɛnd/ in IPA).

Here is “defend” used in a sentence: “The soldiers defended the border for weeks.”

Words with a similar meaning to “defend” include beshield, beward, brood, cape for, fend and guard.

The opposite of “defend” — its antonyms — is attack.

“Defend” is a verb.

The word “defend” comes from Latin. From Old French defendre, from Latin dēfendere ("to ward off"), which displaced the native Old English word bewerian.

“Defend” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

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.

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.

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.