defense

1 of 2

noun

de·​fense di-ˈfen(t)s 

as antonym of "offense" often

ˈdē-ˌfen(t)s 

1

a

: the act or action of defending

the defense of our country

speak out in defense of justice

quickly jumped to her friend's defense

b

law : the denial, answer, or plea (see plea sense 2b) of one against whom a criminal or civil action is brought : a defendant 's denial, answer, or plea

2

a

: capability of resisting attack

the body's defense against disease

b

sports : ability to keep an opponent from scoring in a game or contest : defensive play or ability

a player known for good defense

3

a

: means or method of defending or protecting oneself, one's team, or another

the nation's air and ground defenses

Big shells are an effective defense against these predators as well.

—Gregory P. Dietl

also : a defensive structure

b

: an argument in support or justification

offered no defense of his actions

c

law : the collected facts and method adopted by a defendant to protect and defend against a plaintiff's action

His lawyers used an insanity defense.

d

chess : a sequence of moves available to the second player in the opening (see opening sense 3a)

4

a

law : a defending party or group (as in a court of law)

The defense rests.

b

sports : a defensive team

He was the linchpin of one of the league's stoutest defenses …

—Sarah Kwak

5

government : the military and industrial aggregate that authorizes and supervises arms production

appropriations for defense

defense contract

defenseless

di-ˈfen(t)s-ləs 

adjective

defenselessly adverb

defenselessness noun

defense

2 of 2

verb

defensed; defensing

transitive verb

sports

: to take specific defensive action against (an opposing team or player or an offensive play) : to attempt to keep (an opponent or play) from scoring in a game or contest

The gangly Pressey was clearly Milwaukee's only real hope of defensing Bird …

—Jack McCallum

Synonyms

Noun

• aegis
• egis
• ammunition
• armor
• buckler
• cover
• guard
• protection
• safeguard
• screen
• security
• shield
• wall
• ward

Examples of defense in a Sentence

Noun

They put up a good defense, but the city ultimately fell to the invaders.

They mounted a good defense.

The city's defenses were not strong enough to keep out the invaders.

We need to improve our defenses.

the nation's air and ground defenses

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Bondi served as Florida’s top lawyer from 2011 to 2019, and later joined Trump’s defense team in his first Senate impeachment trial in 2020. —Sara Dorn, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024

Their defense was slow and overmatched, disorganized in transition, destroyed on the boards, and hemorrhaging second-chance points. —Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2024

Verb

The highly skilled and versatile Baker has recorded 142 tackles (88 solo), two sacks and three passes defensed in 14 starts this season. —Doug Haller, The Athletic, 18 Dec. 2024

Kareem, a waiver claim last summer, had 12 tackles, one sack, two QB hits and two passes defensed this preseason. Scoop City Newsletter Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox. —Kevin Fishbain, The Athletic, 25 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English defense, defence, borrowed from Anglo-French defens, defense, defence, borrowed from Medieval Latin dēfensa, dēfensum (Late Latin dēfensa "vengeance"), nominal derivatives from feminine and neuter of Latin dēfensus, past participle of dēfendere "to ward off, defend"

Verb

derivative of defense entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1932, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing defense

• civil defense
• come/jump to someone's defense
• cyber defense
• defense mechanism
• in defense of (something or someone)
• in something's or someone's defense
• jump to someone's defense
• leap to someone's defense
• line of defense
• on defense
• self-defense
• testify for the defense/prosecution
• the defense
• zone defense

Kids Definition

defense

noun

de·​fense

di-ˈfen(t)s;

 as antonym of "offense" often  ˈdē-ˌfen(t)s

1

: the act of defending : resistance against attack

2

: capability of resisting attack

3

a

: means or method of defending

b

: an argument in support

4

a

: a defending party or group

b

: a defensive team

5

: the answer made by the defendant in a legal action

defenseless

di-ˈfen(t)s-ləs

adjective

defenselessly adverb

defenselessness noun

defensibility

di-ˌfen(t)-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē

noun

defensible

-ˈfen(t)-sə-bəl

adjective

defensibly

-blē

adverb

Medical Definition

defense

noun

de·​fense

variants or chiefly British defence

di-ˈfen(t)s 

: a means or method of protecting the physical or functional integrity of body or mind

ability to concentrate urine may be interpreted as a renal defense of body volume fluid

—Jack Metcoff

Legal Definition

defense

noun

de·​fense di-ˈfens, ˈdē-ˌfens 

1

: the act or action of defending see also self-defense

2

a

: the theory or ground that forms the basis for a defendant's opposition to an allegation in a complaint or to a charge in a charging instrument (as an indictment)

also : the evidence and arguments presented supporting the defendant's opposition see also accord, alibi, assumption of risk, coercion, consent, contributory negligence at negligence, denial, diminished capacity, duress, entrapment, estoppel, fraud, infancy, insanity, intoxication, laches, mistake, necessity, res judicata, statute of limitations

— absolute defense

: complete defense in this entry

— affirmative defense

: a defense that does not deny the truth of the allegations against the defendant but gives some other reason (as insanity, assumption of risk, or expiration of the statute of limitations) why the defendant cannot be held liable

Note: The defendant bears the burden of proof as to affirmative defenses.

— choice of evils defense

: a defense to a criminal charge based on the assertion that the criminal act was committed to avoid the commission of an even greater evil

called also lesser evils defense

Note: In jurisdictions that recognize the choice of evils defense, it encompasses both of the older defenses of duress and necessity.

— complete defense

: a defense that shields the defendant from any liability and bars any recovery by the plaintiff compare partial defense in this entry

— lesser evils defense

: choice of evils defense in this entry

— meritorious defense

: a defense that is based on evidence sufficient to warrant setting aside a default judgment against the defendant in civil litigation

— partial defense

: a defense by which the defendant reduces the amount of damages of which he or she is liable compare complete defense in this entry

b

: a basis upon which an obligor of a negotiable instrument may avoid liability under the instrument

— personal defense

: a defense of an obligor under a negotiable instrument that can be asserted against anyone but a holder in due course

— real defense

: a defense of an obligor of a negotiable instrument that may be asserted even against a holder in due course

Note: Section 3-305(a)(1) of the Uniform Commercial Code sets out the real defenses as infancy, duress, lack of legal capacity, illegality of the transaction, fraud in the factum, and discharge of the obligor by a bankruptcy court. By exclusion, all other defenses are personal defenses.

3

: the defending side in a legal proceeding

the defense rests

compare prosecution