defend

defend — verb

1. to take action to keep someone or something safe from physical attack, danger, o

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to take action to keep someone or something safe from physical attack, danger, or harmful words

Example

Rodrigo defended his younger sister when older kids tried to bully her at school.

defend + person + against threat (bullying)

The soldiers fought hard to defend the village from the advancing troops.

defend + place + from + physical attack

Common collocations
  • defend yourself
  • defend against
  • defend from
  • defend territory
  • defend your rights
Synonyms
  • protect

    broader meaning — can be passive (a helmet protects) whereas defend is always active

  • guard

    suggests staying watchful over something over time, not just during an attack

  • shield

    means placing something between the danger and the person, like a physical barrier

Antonyms
  • attack

    the opposite action — trying to harm instead of protect

Grammar Patterns

defend + noun phrase (person/place/idea)

defend + noun phrase + against/from + noun phrase

Usage Note

Commonly used with 'against' (defend against attack) or 'from' (defend from harm). The reflexive form 'defend yourself/oneself' is very frequent and covers both physical and verbal contexts: 'He learned martial arts to defend himself.'

Common Mistakes

A thick coat defends you from the cold.
A thick coat protects you from the cold.
Things like clothes and shelters protect; people defend by actively resisting a threat.
She defended her children from the rain under a tree.
She sheltered her children from the rain.
'Defend' implies an active threat or attack, not just weather.

2. to express your agreement with a person, plan, or opinion in speech or writing w

2.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to express your agreement with a person, plan, or opinion in speech or writing when other people are attacking it

Example

Emre defended the new parking rules during the town hall meeting.

defend + decision/rule in public forum

Maeve wrote a column defending the artist against harsh reviews from critics.

defend + person + against + criticism

Common collocations
  • defend the decision
  • defend the policy
  • defend against criticism
  • defend someone's reputation
  • defend your position
Synonyms
  • support

    broader — can mean general agreement without needing an attack to respond to

  • advocate

    suggests active, public campaigning for something, often with a moral dimension

  • stand up for

    less formal, implies courage in the face of opposition

Antonyms
  • criticize

    to express disapproval of someone or something

  • attack

    to criticize someone or something strongly

Grammar Patterns

defend + noun phrase (person/policy/idea) + against + noun phrase

defend + noun phrase (decision/action)

Usage Note

Often paired with 'against' when the criticism or attack is named: 'defend someone/something against criticism/accusations/attacks.' Unlike 'discuss,' this sense always carries an element of opposition — you defend only when someone is attacking.

Common Mistakes

Lien defended the idea by explaining its benefits.
Lien supported the idea by explaining its benefits.
'Defend' implies the idea is under attack; 'support' is neutral and can be used without opposition.

3. to act as the lawyer for someone facing a criminal charge and try to show that t

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to act as the lawyer for someone facing a criminal charge and try to show that the accusation is wrong

Example

Brian hired an experienced lawyer to defend him in the fraud case.

defend + accused person + in + type of case

Nkechi is the attorney who will defend the teenager accused of stealing a car.

Common collocations
  • defend the accused
  • defend a client
  • defend someone in court
  • defend a case
  • defend against charges
Synonyms
  • represent

    broader — can mean acting for someone in any legal matter, not just criminal defense

Antonyms
  • prosecute

    to officially accuse someone of a crime and try to prove their guilt in court

Grammar Patterns

defend + noun phrase (person/the accused/client)

Usage Note

Only sense with a specific professional-legal meaning. The lawyer doing this work is a defense attorney or public defender. The person being defended is the defendant. Not used for civil lawsuits where you represent a client in a dispute — distinguish from 'represent' in that context.

Common Mistakes

Lauren defended her friend in a fight.
Lauren defended her friend in court.
This sense is specifically about legal representation, not physical protection. The courtroom context must be clear.

4. to try to keep a sports championship or award when the next contest arrives afte

4.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to try to keep a sports championship or award when the next contest arrives after a previous win

Example

The tennis star hopes to defend her championship at Wimbledon next summer.

defend + championship — sports title collocation

Élise will defend her Olympic gold medal at the next Summer Games.

Common collocations
  • defend the title
  • defend the championship
  • defend the crown
  • defend the gold medal
Antonyms
  • lose

    to fail to keep a title or championship

  • concede

    to give up a title or match

Grammar Patterns

defend + title/championship/gold medal

Usage Note

The object is always a title, championship, medal, crown, or similar award. The competition or opponent is introduced with 'against.' Frequently used in sports journalism but also in other competitions (chess, spelling bees, political elections).

Common Mistakes

The team defended the game well.
The team defended their championship well.
In this sense, you defend the title, not the game or match itself.

5. to try to stop the other team or player from scoring points or goals in a game o

5.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to try to stop the other team or player from scoring points or goals in a game or match

Example

Christopher played as a defender and tried to block every shot near the goal.

defend + block + goal — defensive play description

The tallest player on the team usually defends the basket during games.

defend + basket (basketball)

Common collocations
  • defend the goal
  • defend the basket
  • defend the net
  • defend against the attack
  • defend well
Synonyms
  • guard

    often used interchangeably in basketball; 'guard the basket' means the same as 'defend the basket'

  • cover

    more specific — means staying close to a particular opponent or area

  • protect

    less common in sports; 'protect the lead' is different from 'defend the goal'

Antonyms
  • attack

    in sports, the opposite of defending is attacking or going on offense

Grammar Patterns

defend + noun phrase (goal/net/basket)

defend against + noun phrase (opponent/attack)

defend (no object)

Usage Note

Can be used transitively ('defend the goal') or intransitively ('our team defended well'). Distinguished from sense 4 (TITLE) in that this sense focuses on the in-game action of preventing scores, not on retaining a championship. In American football, hockey, and soccer, the defensive players are responsible for this action.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These four words share the idea of keeping someone safe, but differ in action and timing. 'Defend' is the most active and responsive — it means taking direct action against an ongoing attack or threat (soldiers defend a fort from enemy fire). 'Protect' is broader and more general; it can mean keeping someone safe in a passive way that does not require an active attacker (a seatbelt protects passengers in a crash). 'Guard' suggests staying watchful over a long period, often at a specific post (security guards guard a bank overnight). 'Shield' means placing a barrier — physical or metaphorical — between danger and the person (she shielded her eyes from the sun; the umbrella shielded them from the rain). For example: 'The bodyguard shielded the VIP with his own body while the police defended the building from the intruders.' In everyday use, 'defend' is the best choice when there is a clear, active threat that someone is fighting back against.

protect ↗guard ↗shield ↗defend ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • defend yourself
  • defend someone's honor
  • defend a point of view
  • defend to the death

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

From Latin 'defendere,' meaning 'to ward off, protect,' formed from 'de-' (away, down) and 'fendere' (to strike, hit). The word entered English in the 13th century through Old French 'defendre.' The original sense of 'warding off a blow' gradually expanded to include verbal defense in court and, much later, competitive sports contexts.