as in to protect
to drive danger or attack away from
learned to use humor to fend herself from criticism
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fend
Recent waves of emigration of younger Cubans have left many older adults alone to fend for themselves under the direst conditions.
—
Sarah Moreno
updated April 29, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Sinner took their first meeting, overwhelming a streaky Jódar in the first set and fending him off for most of the second in a 6-2, 7-6(0) win Wednesday.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Farms were razed, and cats and dogs were left to fend for themselves as families were repeatedly displaced from their homes by the Israeli airstrikes.
—Irus Braverman, The Conversation, 27 Apr. 2026
When the shots rang out last night at the Washington Hilton, multiple teams flooded into the rooms to find their protectees and get them out, climbing over chairs—in some cases with guns drawn or hand on holster—and sometimes leaving spouses, colleagues, and others to fend for themselves.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fend
Sarah Moreno
updated April 29, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Sinner took their first meeting, overwhelming a streaky Jódar in the first set and fending him off for most of the second in a 6-2, 7-6(0) win Wednesday.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Farms were razed, and cats and dogs were left to fend for themselves as families were repeatedly displaced from their homes by the Israeli airstrikes.
—Irus Braverman, The Conversation, 27 Apr. 2026
When the shots rang out last night at the Washington Hilton, multiple teams flooded into the rooms to find their protectees and get them out, climbing over chairs—in some cases with guns drawn or hand on holster—and sometimes leaving spouses, colleagues, and others to fend for themselves.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fend
Verb
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The Linc is an open-air stadium, so there is no dome or roof to protect fans from the sun.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
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Its leaders have repeatedly contended that their resistance to occupation is protected under international law and the Lebanese constitution, if not under the new domestic policy.—
Rania Abouzeid,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
Verb
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Governor Gavin Newsom's office defended the framework, calling protests against Hernandez a cynical attempt to weaponize the debate.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
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The question is whether the student understands it well enough to defend it, adapt it and apply it when conditions change.—
Shannon McKeen,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
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While court orders that block counterfeiters can help to safeguard intellectual property, sometimes those counterfeiters simply turn to other aliases and cybersquatting ploys to continue their activities.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
14 May 2026
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Newsom is eager to safeguard programs that have defined his tenure as the leader of the nation's most populous state and one of the world's largest economies.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Volvo safety expert Isabelle Stockman says the EX60 was designed with super-strong A-pillars and a header to shield the car’s occupants from potential hazards.—
Kristin Shaw,
ArsTechnica,
20 May 2026
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Earlier this year, a law that seeks to shield minors from addictive, violent, and pornographic online content took effect.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Barnes shares touches with fellow All-Star Brandon Ingram and guards RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, but Barnes is a superpowered connector.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
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As for the Cliff Booth movie, like all things involving Tarantino, it has been closely guarded.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fend. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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