1
as in protecting
to drive danger or attack away from
a solemn oath to defend the mother country at any cost
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justifying
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 defending
Argentina, the defending champion, has expressed interest in setting up its base camp in Kansas City.
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Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026
Alex Condon added 21 points and former Arkansas Razorback Boogie Fland chipped in 8 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists for the defending national champion Gators, who beat the Bulldogs for the 13th time in their past 14 meetings.
—Arkansas Online, 7 Jan. 2026
Georgia suffered its first SEC loss of the season at Florida on Tuesday night, falling to the defending national champs, 92-77.
—Mike Griffith, AJC.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Steele is defending her seat on the three-member Board of Review, which hears property tax appeals.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
The defending champs are actually among the most likely round-of-16 opponents for the USMNT.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
The Lakers tied the Detroit Pistons for the second-most wins in the NBA (eight) behind only the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder (10-1), but that wasn’t the only good news the team got on Monday.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
At the top of the list is defending the 1-4 ball screen, or point guard and 4-man.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
Mobley, who was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for last season, couldn’t do anything about it because he was tasked with defending Jaquez.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defending
Verb
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Our students, families, and taxpayers deserve leaders who put the best interests of the community first, not individuals who appear focused on protecting one another instead of protecting the integrity of our school system.—
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But many environmental experts, including Earthjustice senior attorney Mychal Ozaeta, say the proposal caters to the coal industry rather than protecting communities.—
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Two skeptics of the COVID vaccine, who were appointed to administration roles just last month, authored a brief assessment justifying the overhaul.—
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But the opinion from the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel justifying the strikes remains classified.—
Verb
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Officials in Brussels, Berlin, and Paris viewed early proposals as overly concessive to Moscow, insufficiently safeguarding Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity — particularly regarding Donbas, Crimea, and possible concessions beyond current lines of control.—
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Soldiers will serve in a support role, focused on protecting property, safeguarding critical infrastructure and allowing local law enforcement to remain focused on community safety and investigative responsibilities, according to a news release from the governor's office.—
Verb
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In the East Bay, this group brings together community organizations, public agencies and volunteers with the goal of maintaining a healthy, vibrant Oakland.—
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According to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections policy, maintaining good personal hygiene, a clean living area and a positive attitude toward staff and other inmates, helps the prisoner advance to a new level.—
Verb
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Near the airport, some confrontations erupted on Thursday and Friday between smaller groups of protesters and agents guarding the federal building used as a base for the Twin Cities crackdown.—
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Near the airport, some confrontations erupted Thursday and Friday between smaller groups of protesters and officers guarding the federal building used as a base for the Twin Cities crackdown.—
Verb
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With the global order in flux and the great powers pursuing geopolitical and normative revisionism, there has been much discussion about the role small and middle powers can play in upholding international law and multilateralism.—
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But upholding the rule of law also means making sure there are consequences for those who undermine it.—
Verb
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If your money wasn’t involved in supporting the Dallas Cowboys show, all of it may be funny, instead of just flat, sad, and a bad joke.—
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The companies said the robotaxi is designed to deliver a premium passenger experience while supporting large-scale autonomous deployment.—
Cite this Entry
“Defending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defending. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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