defang

verb

de·​fang (ˌ)dē-ˈfaŋ How to pronounce defang (audio)
defanged; defanging; defangs

transitive verb

: to make harmless or less powerful

Examples of defang in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After Japan’s defeat in WWII, there was a deliberate effort to democratize the nation and defang its intelligence community. — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 July 2026 So just a short while ago, Anthropic came out with Fable, or basically, Mythos defanged. — John Werner, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Then then conservative-leaning Supreme Court defanged the Voting Rights Act, which has created a sprint in the South that could wipe out almost a third of the Congressional Black Caucus, which is overwhelmingly Democratic. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 16 May 2026 Vaccines present either defanged pathogens or distinctive fragments of them to specialized immune cells—namely, T cells and antibody-producing B cells—that can then learn to identify those microbial enemies. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for defang

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defang was in 1919

Rhymes for defang

See All Rhymes for defang

Browse Nearby Words

defamingly
defang
defassa
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Defang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defang. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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