defend
The word “defend” has 2 syllables: de-fend
It's pronounced as /dɪˈfɛnd/
What is synonym and antonym for defend?
In the thesaurus, “defend” has 60 synonyms and 25 antonyms.
Here are synonyms and antonyms for defend along with examples of usage in sentences.
Synonyms for defend
- advocate
- affirm
- argue
- assert
- aver
- avert
- avouch
- avow
- battle
- buffer
- bulwark
- champion
- claim
- confirm
- conserve
- contend
- cover
- debate
- discuss
- emphasize
- espouse
- fence
- fend
- fight
- forfend
- guard
- insist
- justify
- keep
- maintain
- oppose
- palisade
- picket
- plead
- preserve
- prevent
- proclaim
- profess
- protect
- protest
- resist
- safeguard
- save
- screen
- secure
- shield
- stand up for
- state
- stick up for
- stress
- support
- underline
- underscore
- uphold
- vindicate
- wall
- war
- ward
- warrant
- withstand
Antonyms for defend
- abandon
- abjure
- assail
- assault
- attack
- beset
- besiege
- bombard
- capitulate
- cave
- controvert
- disprove
- forsake
- overrun
- rebut
- recant
- refute
- retract
- reverse
- storm
- submit
- switch
- take back
- withdraw
- yield
Meanings of defend
- verb
- To ward off attacks against; to fight to protect; to guard.
- To support by words or writing; to vindicate, talk in favour of.
- To make legal defence of; to represent (the accused).
- To focus one's energies and talents on preventing opponents from scoring, as opposed to focusing on scoring.
- To attempt to retain a title, or attempt to reach the same stage in a competition as one did in the previous edition of that competition.
- To call a raise from the big blind.
- To ward off, repel (an attack or attacker).
- To prevent, to keep (from doing something).
- To prohibit, forbid.
Example Sentences
- She tried her best to defend her decision.
- Soldiers were sent to defend the border.
- He hired a lawyer to defend him in court.
- It’s important to defend your beliefs with facts.
- The team worked together to defend their championship title.
On this page you'll find 85 synonyms, antonyms, or another words to defend, such as: abandon, abjure, advocate, affirm, argue, assail, assault.
Make sure to choose synonyms and antonyms that are appropriate for the context of the sentence.
Related Words
keep
- abide by
- accomplish
- accumulate
- achieve
- adhere to
- administer
- administrate
- amass
- answer
- arrest
- attend
- avert
- battle
- bear
- bless
- block
- board
- boast
- bridle
- bring about
- bring off
- buffer
- bulwark
- cache
- care
- care and feeding
- care for
- carry
- carry on
- carry out
- celebrate
- cellar
- check
- cherish
- codirect
- comanage
- command
- commemorate
- commit
- compass
- complete
- comply with
- conclude
- conduct
- consecrate
- conservancy
- conservation
- conserve
- conserving
- constrain
- consummate
- contain
- contend
- continue
- control
- cover
- curb
- custody
- deal in
- defend
- defense
- delay
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- deter
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- discharge
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- endure
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- feed
- fence
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- fete
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- file
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- finance
- finish
- forfend
- foster
- fulfil
- fulfill
- fund
- gag
- garage
- garner
- govern
- grasp
- grip
- guard
- guardianship
- guarding
- guide
- hamper
- hamstring
- handcuff
- handle
- hang on to
- hangar
- harbor
- have
- heap
- hinder
- hold
- hold back
- hold on to
- honor
- house
- hug
- impede
- inhibit
- interrupt
- laud
- lead
- limit
- look after
- maintain
- maintenance
- make
- make good
- make good on
- manage
- measure
- meet
- memorialize
- micromanage
- mince
- mind
- minister to
- muffle
- muzzle
- nourish
- nurture
- obey
- observe
- obstruct
- operate
- oppose
- ordain
- overlook
- oversee
- own
- pack
- palisade
- patronize
- perfect
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- picket
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- pilot
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- possess
- praise
- preservation
- preserve
- preserving
- prevent
- protect
- protection
- provision
- pull in
- put
- put up
- redeem
- regard
- regulate
- remember
- reposit
- repress
- reserve
- resist
- respect
- restrain
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- retard
- ritualize
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- safeguard
- safeguarding
- safekeeping
- sanctify
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- save
- screen
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- set up
- shackle
- shelter
- shelve
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- smother
- solemnize
- sponsor
- squelch
- stack
- stage-manage
- stake
- stall
- stand up for
- steer
- steward
- stifle
- stock
- stop
- store
- stow
- strangle
- subsidize
- superintend
- supervise
- support
- suppress
- sustain
- sustaining
- sustentation
- swallow
- take care of
- tame
- tend
- trade in
- treasure
- underwrite
- upkeep
- victual
- wall
- war
- ward
- warehouse
- watch
- watch over
- withhold
- withstand
keep an eye on
- abide by
- accomplish
- accord
- adhere to
- administer
- adopt
- advance
- advise
- aid
- angel
- attend
- attend to
- audit
- baby sit
- baby-sit
- back
- bankroll
- be a source of strength
- be attentive
- be consistent with
- be devoted to
- be guided by
- be in charge
- be in keeping
- be in the saddle
- be interested in
- be on duty
- be responsible for
- beam
- bedog
- behold
- boss
- bring up
- bulwark
- buoy up
- call the play
- call the shots
- captain
- care for
- case
- catch
- cater to
- chaperon
- chaperone
- check
- check out
- cherish
- command
- comply
- concentrate
- concentrate on
- conduct
- conform
- contemplate
- control
- convoy
- copy
- corral
- counsel
- cover
- cover up
- crack the whip
- cradle
- cultivate
- deal with
- defend
- detect
- devote oneself
- dig
- direct
- discern
- discipline
- discover
- distinguish
- do
- do for
- do like
- dog
- eagle eye
- eagle-eye
- emulate
- encourage
- ensure
- escort
- espy
- examine
- eye
- eyeball
- father
- feed
- fend
- finance
- flash
- focus
- follow
- follow suit
- fortify
- forward
- foster
- fund
- further
- gape
- gawk
- gaze
- get a load of
- get an eyeful of
- give a leg up
- give allegiance to
- give heed to
- give the once-over
- glance
- glare
- glimpse
- goggle
- govern
- guard
- handle
- harbor
- harmonize
- have a look-see
- have charge of
- hear
- hearken
- heed
- herd
- hold fast
- hound
- humor
- imitate
- immunize
- indulge
- inoculate
- inspect
- irradiate
- keep
- keep abreast of
- keep alive
- keep in view
- keep tabs on
- keep track of
- keep under surveillance
- lamp
- lend an ear
- listen
- listen up
- live up to
- look
- look after
- look at
- look on
- lookout
- maintain
- make a living
- make certain
- make out
- manage
- mark
- match
- medicate
- mimic
- mind
- mind the store
- minister
- minister to
- mirror
- model on
- monitor
- mother
- note
- notice
- nourish
- nurse
- nurture
- obey
- observe
- occupy oneself with
- overlook
- oversee
- pamper
- patrol
- pattern oneself upon
- pay attention
- pay attention to
- pay expenses of
- pay for
- pay heed
- peek
- peep
- peer
- perceive
- perform
- pick up
- pick up on
- pick up the check
- pipe
- police
- preserve
- preside over
- promote
- prop
- protect
- provide for
- pursue
- put up money for
- quarterback
- raise
- read
- recognize
- record
- reflect
- regard
- ride herd on
- ride shotgun for
- rubberneck
- run
- run the show
- run things
- safeguard
- save
- scan
- scope
- screen
- scrutinize
- secure
- see
- see after
- see to
- serve
- set up
- shadow
- shelter
- shepherd
- shield
- shotgun
- sight
- sit
- sit on top of
- skipper
- sponsor
- spot
- spy
- stake
- stalk
- stare
- stiffen
- stonewall
- strengthen
- string along
- stroke
- study
- subsidize
- succor
- superintend
- supervise
- support
- surveil
- survey
- sustain
- tag
- take a gander
- take after
- take as an example
- take care of
- take charge of
- take in
- take notice
- take pains
- take under wing
- tend
- track
- trail
- treat
- underwrite
- uphold
- vaccinate
- view
- wait
- wait on
- watch
- watch out for
- watch over
- witness
safeguard
- aegis
- ammunition
- arm
- armament
- armor
- assure
- avert
- battle
- buckler
- buffer
- bulwark
- caution
- conserve
- contend
- convoy
- cover
- defend
- defense
- egis
- ensure
- escort
- fail-safe
- fastness
- fence
- fend
- fight
- forfend
- fort
- fortress
- guard
- insure
- keep
- look after
- munitions
- oppose
- palisade
- palladium
- picket
- precaution
- preserve
- prevent
- preventive
- protect
- protection
- resist
- ride shotgun
- save
- screen
- secure
- security
- shield
- stand up for
- stronghold
- surety
- wall
- war
- ward
- watch over
- weapon
- weaponry
- withstand
tag along
- accompany
- associate
- associate with
- attach
- attend
- bedog
- bind
- bracket
- bring
- bring up the rear
- catenate
- chaperon
- chaperone
- chase
- combine
- come along
- come with
- companion
- company
- concatenate
- conduct
- conjoin
- conjugate
- consort
- convoy
- couple
- dally
- dangle
- date
- dawdle
- defend
- delay
- dog
- dog the footsteps of
- draft
- drag
- draggle
- draw
- droop
- drop back
- escort
- extend
- fall back
- fall behind
- falter
- fasten
- flag
- follow
- follow a scent
- freeze
- give chase
- go after
- go along
- go with
- group
- guard
- guide
- halt
- hang
- hang around with
- hang back
- hang down
- hang out
- haul
- hitch on
- hook up
- hound
- hunt
- identify
- incorporate
- interface
- join
- keep company
- lag
- lead
- linger
- loiter
- look after
- meld with
- network
- nose out
- onto
- persecute
- pilot
- plod
- plug into
- poke
- poke along
- procrastinate
- protect
- pull
- pursue
- put a tail on
- relate
- run after
- run down
- schlepp along
- search
- see
- seek
- shadow
- shag
- shlep along
- show about
- show around
- slap on
- spook
- spoor
- squire
- stalk
- steer
- stick to
- straggle
- stream
- string along
- tack on
- tag
- tag after
- tag on
- tail
- tailgate
- take out
- take out after
- tarry
- team up with
- throw in with
- tie
- tie in with
- tow
- trace
- track
- traipse
- trudge
- unite
- usher
- walk
- yoke
abide by
- accept
- accomplish
- achieve
- acknowledge
- adopt
- advocate
- agree to
- answer
- attend
- back
- backstop
- bolster
- boost
- bring about
- bring off
- buttress
- carry out
- champion
- cherish
- commit
- compass
- complete
- comply with
- concede
- conclude
- confirm
- consent to
- consummate
- cultivate
- defend
- discharge
- effect
- embrace
- endorse
- enforce
- espouse
- execute
- fall in with
- fill
- finalize
- finish
- follow
- foster
- fulfill
- hear
- heed
- hold to
- indorse
- keep
- keep to
- live up to
- make
- make good
- make good on
- mark
- meet
- mind
- note
- notice
- obey
- observe
- perfect
- perform
- redeem
- reenforce
- regard
- reinforce
- satisfy
- stand by
- submit to
- support
- take
- uphold
- watch