defense
defense — noun
1. The US spelling of the word 'defence' in any of its meanings — British English u
The US spelling of the word 'defence' in any of its meanings — British English uses the '-ce' ending where American English uses '-se'.
In American English, defense is always spelled with an s instead of a c.
US spelling: -se vs UK -ce
The student wrote defense in her essay because the teacher uses US spelling rules.
American newspapers all use defense while British papers write defence for the same meaning.
When reading a British novel, Taiwanese learners may see defence spelled with a c instead.
Usage Note
The UK spelling 'defence' is used in British, Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian English (though Canadian press sometimes uses '-se'). Both spellings follow the same pronunciation: /dɪˈfens/.
Common Mistakes
2. The act of shielding people or things from physical attacks, verbal criticism, o
The act of shielding people or things from physical attacks, verbal criticism, or any kind of harm — for instance, standing between a child and a dangerous dog, or arguing to protect someone's reputation from unfair blame.
Trang spoke loudly in defense of her younger brother when older kids teased him.
collocation: in defense of [someone/something]
The old stone wall was built for the defense of the village against enemy armies.
Rania wrote a long letter in defense of the new park plan after neighbors complained.
Soldiers risk their lives every day for the defense of their country and its people.
Adaeze jumped in front of her little sister in defense when the stray dog ran at them.
- in defense of
- come to the defense of
- speak in defense
- protection
broader term covering any safety measure, not necessarily against an active attack
- guard
focuses on watching for danger and preventing access, often refers to a person or device
- attack
the opposite action — actively trying to harm instead of protecting
Usage Note
Often used in fixed phrases such as 'in defense of' and 'come to someone's defense'. The verb form 'defend' is more common for describing the action directly.
Common Mistakes
3. A thing, substance, method, or structure that keeps someone or something safe fr
A thing, substance, method, or structure that keeps someone or something safe from damage, disease, bad weather, or other threats.
The thick coat was a poor defense against the freezing wind on the mountain.
pattern: defense against [threat]
Trees planted along the coast act as a natural defense against flooding from big storms.
Takeshi takes vitamin C every morning as a defense against catching colds in winter.
A strong password is your main defense against hackers who try to steal private information.
The mosquito net over the bed provides an effective defense against malaria at night.
- defense against
- natural defense
- main defense
- effective defense
- protection
more general; defense implies an active or structural barrier against a known threat
- shield
suggests a physical or metaphorical barrier held in front of something specific
- vulnerability
the state of being open to harm without any means of protection
Grammar Patterns
defense + against + noun
Usage Note
Commonly followed by 'against' to specify what threat is being blocked. Can be concrete (a wall, a coat) or abstract (a password, a vaccine).
4. The armed forces, weapons, systems, and government planning that a country uses
The armed forces, weapons, systems, and government planning that a country uses to protect itself from attack by other nations.
The government plans to increase the defense budget for new navy ships next year.
collocation: defense budget
Hugo works for the Ministry of Defense designing radar systems for the air force.
Several nations signed a defense agreement promising to help each other during wars.
The general argued that the country's defense needed stronger ground troops in the north.
Critics say the defense spending is too high and the money should go to schools instead.
- defense budget
- defense policy
- defense agreement
- defense spending
- defense forces
- armed forces
refers specifically to the people and combat units, not the planning and budget systems
- security
broader term that includes non-military safety measures like border control
Usage Note
Frequently capitalized as part of official names: 'Department of Defense' (US), 'Ministry of Defence' (UK — note British spelling). Often functions as an adjective in compounds like 'defense policy', 'defense contractor'.
Common Mistakes
5. A spoken or written set of reasons that explains why something you did or believ
A spoken or written set of reasons that explains why something you did or believe is right, fair, or should not be criticized.
Mira gave a strong defense of her decision to study abroad despite the high cost.
pattern: defense of + decision/belief
The politician's defense of the new tax plan did not convince many voters in the room.
In defense of the manager, the project was already behind schedule before she joined.
The professor wrote a detailed defense of the traditional grading system used at the school.
Paul's only defense for forgetting the meeting was that his phone battery had died completely.
- defense of
- in defense of
- strong defense
- detailed defense
- justification
suggests proving that something was right rather than merely defending it from criticism
- excuse
often has a negative connotation of avoiding blame rather than providing real reasons
- criticism
an expression of disapproval that a defense seeks to answer
Grammar Patterns
defense + of + noun
Usage Note
This sense is similar to 'justification' but defense specifically implies responding to an attack or criticism. Commonly followed by the preposition 'of' to state what is being supported.
6. When a person is on trial, the side that represents the accused individual — inc
When a person is on trial, the side that represents the accused individual — including the lawyers, their arguments, and the evidence they present to try to prove innocence.
The defense called three witnesses who said the man was at home when the robbery happened.
collocation: the defense calls witnesses
Amelia's lawyer built a solid defense based on security footage that showed the wrong time.
The defense rested its case after the main witness failed to identify the suspect clearly.
collocation: the defense rests its case
The judge asked the defense to present its opening statement before the prosecution began.
Vivek hired a top lawyer for his defense after the company accused him of stealing money.
- the defense
- defense lawyer
- defense attorney
- defense team
- mount a defense
- defense rests
- legal team
more general, can include both prosecution and defense lawyers
- counsel
formal term for the lawyer(s) representing a client in court
- prosecution
the side that brings charges against the accused in a criminal trial
Grammar Patterns
the defense + verb (singular)
Usage Note
As a collective noun for the legal team, 'the defense' takes a singular verb in standard English ('the defense argues' not 'argue'). Distinguish from 'defendant' — the defense is the legal team; the defendant is the person on trial.
Common Mistakes
7. During a contest such as basketball, football, or soccer, the group of players w
During a contest such as basketball, football, or soccer, the group of players whose task is preventing the opposition from adding points to the scoreboard, along with their method of playing — for example, a soccer team's back line of defenders.
The team's defense worked hard all night to keep the opponents from scoring a goal.
collocation: on defense / play defense
Gabriel plays on defense for the college soccer team and rarely lets players pass him.
A strong defense is just as important as a good offense in championship basketball games.
The coach praised the defense for stopping three quick attempts near the goal area.
Trang's team has the best defense in the league with only eight goals allowed all season.
- play defense
- on defense
- strong defense
- the defense
- defense line
- offense
the team or players trying to score rather than prevent scoring
Grammar Patterns
the defense + verb (singular)
on defense
play defense
Usage Note
In sports contexts, 'defense' can be treated as a singular unit ('the defense is strong') or as a collective ('the defense are playing well' in British usage). Common phrases include 'to play defense' (verb phrase) and 'on defense' (to indicate which side of the game is active).
Common Mistakes
8. An unconscious mental reaction that helps a person avoid facing painful thoughts
An unconscious mental reaction that helps a person avoid facing painful thoughts, unacceptable feelings, or threatening memories — for example, denying that a bad event happened, or finding logical excuses for hurtful behavior.
The therapist helped Mira see that her anger was a defense against buried sadness from childhood.
collocation: defense against [painful feeling]
Making jokes about the accident was Lara's unconscious defense against the trauma she felt inside.
The psychologist explained that denial is a common psychological defense used by people facing loss.
compound noun: defense mechanism
His constant need to prove himself at work was actually a defense against deep feelings of doubt.
When criticized unfairly, some people use anger as a defense instead of listening to the feedback.
- defense mechanism
- psychological defense
- mental defense
- defense mechanism
the more common technical term for a specific unconscious process
- coping strategy
broader term covering conscious and unconscious ways of handling stress
Grammar Patterns
defense mechanism
psychological defense
Usage Note
This is a technical term in psychology. The compound noun 'defense mechanism' is very common in both formal and informal discussions of behavior. Common defense mechanisms include denial, projection, rationalization, and repression.
Common Mistakes
defense — verb
1. In sports, to take action against an opponent or a scoring attempt in order to p
In sports, to take action against an opponent or a scoring attempt in order to prevent them from gaining points or an advantage — for example, blocking a basketball shot or marking a soccer forward.
Élise defended the star player closely for the whole game and stopped her from scoring.
transitive: defend + opponent
The coach told the team to defend the three-point line and not let anyone shoot easily.
Gabriel needs to defend against the taller forward more aggressively under the basket tonight.
To defend a fast break, the players must run back quickly and protect their own goal.
- defend against
- defend the goal
- defend the lead
- attack
to try to score rather than prevent scoring
Grammar Patterns
defense + opponent/player
defense + against + opponent
Usage Note
This verb is specific to sports commentary and instruction. In everyday English, 'defend' is far more common than the verb 'defense' (defense is primarily a noun). The verb 'defend' can replace this usage in most contexts.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/2
Protection is the broadest term, covering any action, object, or system that keeps someone safe from harm — a hat gives protection from the sun. Guard refers specifically to a person or device that watches for danger and blocks access, such as a security guard at a gate. Shield suggests a physical or metaphorical barrier held in front of something to block incoming harm, like a riot shield or a parent shielding a child from bad news. Safeguard emphasizes a precaution put in place beforehand to prevent something bad from happening, often in legal or safety contexts, such as a safeguard against data theft. Defense implies active resistance against a known or expected attack or criticism — a soldier's defense of a bridge requires fighting back. For example, a seatbelt is a safeguard against injury, but actively blocking a punch is a defense.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'defense' entered English in the 1300s from Old French 'defense', which came from Latin 'defensa', meaning 'something warded off'. The Latin root 'defendere' is made of 'de-' (away, down) and 'fendere' (to strike, hit). So the original idea was 'to strike away' — pushing a threat away by force. This sense of active resistance still carries through all modern meanings, whether the threat is a physical enemy, a legal accusation, or an emotional pain.