fended; fending; fends
1
: defend
2
: to keep or ward off : repel
—often used with off
fend off an invader
3
dialectal British
: to provide for : support
chiefly Scotland
: an effort or attempt especially for oneself
Examples of fend in a Sentence
Verb
learned to use humor to fend herself from criticism
Recent Examples on the Web
Lissette Fernandez, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2025
Now Denver will have to fend without Watson for a minimum of 12 more games, based on his new reevaluation timeline.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 3 Feb. 2025
Michael Marot, Baltimore Sun, 22 Jan. 2023
At least in Colombia, work to breed more resistant varietals or to study how cacao plants in the wild fend off pathogens has been limited.
—Lindzi Wessel, Discover Magazine, 27 Sep. 2018
See All Example Sentences for fend
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Verb
Families who rely on these safeguards would be left to fend for themselves in a patchwork system of inconsistent policies and underfunded programs.
—Lissette Fernandez, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2025
Now Denver will have to fend without Watson for a minimum of 12 more games, based on his new reevaluation timeline.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 3 Feb. 2025
Noun
Zach Edey finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds and Braden Smith made two free throws with 3.9 seconds left to help No. 3 Purdue fend off Maryland’s furious second-half charge for a 58-55 victory.
—Michael Marot, Baltimore Sun, 22 Jan. 2023
At least in Colombia, work to breed more resistant varietals or to study how cacao plants in the wild fend off pathogens has been limited.
—Lindzi Wessel, Discover Magazine, 27 Sep. 2018
See All Example Sentences for fend
Cite this Entry
“Fend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fend. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
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