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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of defending
As things stand, that would be enough via the present UEFA coefficient to secure Champions League football for 2025-26, but Newcastle are looking up and hunting down those above them rather than merely defending their own position.
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Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
Police outside the building are focused on defending one of the West front's main entrances, now known as the tunnel.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2025
The Generals are a definite City Section Open Division title contender aided by three transfers from defending champion King/Drew.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2025
Finney-Smith has fit in seamlessly, defending Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Anfernee Simons, Trae Young and Jalen Johnson across three games.
—Jovan Buha, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
The Hurricanes pulled off a gritty 3-1 win in their first game of 2025 against the defending Stanley Cup champions, getting a standout performance from goalie Pyotr Kochetkov while the entire lineup matched the Panthers’ physicality.
—Cory Lavalette, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
The New Orleans failure appears to be some mixture of not paying attention to defending the access points into Bourbon Street and/or an early morning activity in which the barriers were possibly being changed out for later street clean up.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
Cole Caufield, who had been defending, jokingly bumped into Dach on the way to the bench.
—Scott Powers, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
Liv Morgan is still defending her title against Rhea Ripley, but the match is now listed as a normal singles clash.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
Police outside the building are focused on defending one of the West front's main entrances, now known as the tunnel.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2025
The Generals are a definite City Section Open Division title contender aided by three transfers from defending champion King/Drew.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2025
Finney-Smith has fit in seamlessly, defending Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Anfernee Simons, Trae Young and Jalen Johnson across three games.
—Jovan Buha, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
The Hurricanes pulled off a gritty 3-1 win in their first game of 2025 against the defending Stanley Cup champions, getting a standout performance from goalie Pyotr Kochetkov while the entire lineup matched the Panthers’ physicality.
—Cory Lavalette, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
The New Orleans failure appears to be some mixture of not paying attention to defending the access points into Bourbon Street and/or an early morning activity in which the barriers were possibly being changed out for later street clean up.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
Cole Caufield, who had been defending, jokingly bumped into Dach on the way to the bench.
—Scott Powers, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
Liv Morgan is still defending her title against Rhea Ripley, but the match is now listed as a normal singles clash.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defending
Verb
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This process must ensure that risk management is aligned with current regulations, established company policies and industry best practices, thereby protecting security, privacy and corporate integrity.Susana Sierra, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
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But the brains of the hybrid mice developed fewer of these tangles and plaques, as if the sleep mutations were protecting the animals.Marla Broadfoot, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Most post-presidency books are about people touting their successes and justifying things deemed mistakes.Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
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In 2002, the Nobel committee finally amended its error, justifying it, in part, because Carter had criticized the Bush Administration’s invasion of Iraq.Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Encryption tools, secure communication channels, and data storage are essential to maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive discussions.Allison Carnegie, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2024
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The implementation of effective safety measures while maintaining technological momentum remains a crucial challenge.Sol Rashidi, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Listen to this article Loading your audio article Death, taxes, and long, physical defenders guarding Jalen Brunson.Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 22 Dec. 2024
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In the video, Conder shared the dogs lying proudly, guarding their livestock.Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Opponents of the law say the lower court gave too much deference to the federal government’s national security concerns and not enough consideration of freedom of expression when upholding the law.Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
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Our goal is to continue expanding thoughtfully into new markets while upholding the high standards that have brought us to this point.Caroline Tell, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The design is intended to spur students to leave their rooms and connect with their fellow students, supporting physical and mental health.Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
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Carter asked Davis to come out of retirement—again—to help lead the process of enacting the speed limit into law and supporting its nationwide promotion.Doug Melville, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near defending
Cite this Entry
“Defending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defending. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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