as in protected
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in guarded
to drive danger or attack away from
a solemn oath to defend the mother country at any cost
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justified
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defended
Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 27 Nov. 2025
Private firefighting outfits defended companies, utilities, and ultrarich enclaves while other parts of the city burned.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
Ringo recorded a defended pass and recovered the fumble Campbell forced.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
In the first three games of the year, DeJean recorded 22 tackles and a defended pass.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily defended causeway.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
In 11 games for Wisconsin, Lucas recorded 18 tackles, one interception and three defended passes.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2025
Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson defended the final-drive defense afterward.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 11 Jan. 2026
Bartrum spent four seasons with the Crimson, appearing in 31 games, while totaling 244 tackles with 8 tackles for loss, 5 interceptions and 13 passes defended.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026
The administration and Noem have defended Ross, arguing that Good attempted to run him over with her vehicle, and have pledged to surge additional officers into Minneapolis.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 11 Jan. 2026
The vice president defended Officer Ross, on Thursday.
—NBC news, 11 Jan. 2026
Trump has forcefully defended the ICE officer who shot Renee Good.
—ABC News, 11 Jan. 2026
Cesar called for the firing of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, who has defended the ICE agent responsible for Good’s death, calling it an act of self-defense.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 10 Jan. 2026
Just over a minute later, Kuzma tried to toss Antetokounmpo another alley-oop, but the Bulls defended it well and took away the rim.
—Eric Nehm, New York Times, 8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
The preservation was so exceptional that the researchers could identify countershading patterns, indicating this armored dinosaur relied on camouflage despite its heavily defended appearance.
—Verb
The New England Patriots defended home turf in the Wild Card Round, dominating the Los Angeles Chargers in a 16-3 victory to move on in the NFL Playoffs.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for defended
Adjective
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Local companies offer half- and full-day excursions to the island and its protected ecosystem.—
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By choosing a jurisdiction with strict privacy laws and tougher limits on photographing children, Clooney is effectively arbitraging legal regimes the way multinational corporations arbitrage tax codes—only here the protected asset is family life, not corporate profit.—
Verb
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Johnson quickly raced up the court and didn’t hesitate to attack the basket, knocking down a tough runner in the lane while closely guarded.—
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Neither player is a prolific shot-maker from long range, but Green’s dwindling speed advantage is further lessened when he is guarded by power forwards rather than centers on dribble handoffs.—
Verb
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But his approach was justified with a surprising 9-7 finish in his first season.—
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Or is she justified in refusing to take more blame than war, governments, or the ocean itself?—
Adjective
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Less secured bonds in Saks Global financing were trading below 9 cents on the dollar.—
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Advertisement Finally, following the success of Decision to Leave, Park secured funding for his adaptation of The Ax—but for a Korean version of the film.—
Verb
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Covered entities must clearly explain how protected health information is used and safeguarded.—
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In that collection, over 100 scientists from four continents explain how frogs, trees, ducks and lions stand to benefit when refugia in their habitats are identified and safeguarded.—
Verb
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Over the next decade, Wuornos grew increasingly religious and maintained correspondence with Australian artist Jasmine Hirst, whose letters and interviews appear throughout the documentary.—
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The Magic maintained a 59-51 lead at half, but Boston pulled even early in the third after Minott drew a foul on an aggressive crash, and Pritchard picked Bane’s pocket and canned a three.—
Adjective
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Reports about an assault surfaced on social media Wednesday, but exact details on the incident remain shielded as police investigate.—
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It is expected to deliver clearer imaging of dense, shielded materials like spent nuclear fuel, while also significantly enhancing nuclear safety.—
Verb
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During the certification process, members of Congress have the opportunity to object to a state’s results, which triggers debate and then a vote about whether the objection is to be upheld.—
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The appeals court unanimously upheld Magnus-Stinson's ruling, agreeing that there was no evidence of an injury.—
Cite this Entry
“Defended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defended. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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