defending

verb

present participle of defend
1
as in protecting
to drive danger or attack away from a solemn oath to defend the mother country at any cost

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justifying
to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections she will pigheadedly defend any claim regardless of all evidence to the contrary

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of defending Over the past several years, South Korea has emerged as a world-class military power – not quite on the level of the US or China, but certainly capable of defending itself against North Korea. — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026 To flip control of the Senate, where Republicans currently hold 53 seats, Democrats would have to win four seats while defending a handful of their own. — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 President Harry Truman’s courageous decision to support the United Nations in defending the South against invasion from the North laid the foundation for today’s remarkably successful Republic of Korea. — Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026 Separately, Meta is also defending itself in Tennessee against allegations that its Instagram platform causes mental health harms to young users. — Medora Lee, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 One of the targets is David, and Marcus is killed defending him at Slough House. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026 Skubal also issued two walks and hit a batter with a pitch in just his second career appearance at Dodger Stadium, taking the mound nine days after the defending champions acquired him from Detroit in the biggest trade of the deadline. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 The defending World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers may have to relinquish their title to the surging Atlanta Braves. — Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Then, Carrington struck Clark in the eye while defending a pass during the 2024 WNBA Playoffs, leading to the latter having a black eye. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defending
  1. protecting
  2. justifying
  3. safeguarding
  4. maintaining
  5. guarding
  6. upholding
  7. supporting
Verb
  • Among the vaccines demoted to the latter two categories are those protecting against meningococcal disease, which can result in death within 24 hours of symptoms showing up, and hepatitis B, which can cause chronic liver disease.
    — Chuka Onuh, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than jumping into a price war this summer, Lowe’s directed its $80 million in tariff refunds toward protecting profit margins and covering rising operational costs.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of protecting
Verb
  • Only medical reasons can be used in justifying concurrent surrogacy, and a qualified physician must attest to them in writing.
    — Arthur L. Caplan, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026
  • So what can Apple offer to convince buyers not to pick up the cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 8, while justifying the extra cost?
    — Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of justifying
Verb
  • But that could change if lawmakers choose not to pass legislation safeguarding distillery deliveries before the legislative session ends on August 31.
    — Darrielle Fair, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • On Wednesday, Shaw had not yet had an opportunity to review the book-policy complaint, but said both policies ultimately look out for children by safeguarding the rights of parents.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of safeguarding
Verb
  • The president’s statement comes after Vice President JD Vance said last week that the administration has two goals in the war, including maintaining the flow of oil and gas from Gulf countries.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Israel’s current government and much of its political class view the West Bank as the biblical and historical homeland of the Jewish people and see the settlements as key to maintaining security.
    — Joseph Krauss, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of maintaining
Verb
  • World Liberty is celebrating the major milestone, while critics worry this is a new wrinkle on the classic case of the fox guarding the henhouse that will give corporations and foreign actors a new way to stealthily curry favor with the White House.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The 25-year-old center ended up playing 18 minutes, scoring three points on free throws and grabbing three rebounds but doing a solid job of guarding the towering Cardoso.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of guarding
Verb
  • The nine-time Grammy Award-winning blues guitarist was recognized Saturday night for significantly shaping the music industry and upholding the city's identity, while inspiring generations.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • In December, the tribunal issued its final judgment in The Hague—a symbolic choice given the city’s role as a center of international justice—upholding the charge of gender persecution.
    — Rina Amiri, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of upholding
Verb
  • The remaining counts were split between supporting the lifting of the ban and undecided.
    — Brittney Ermon, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Twenty-seven percent showed indifference, however, possibly demonstrating that most voters would be fine supporting them in a general election, said Christian Grose, a political science professor at the University of Southern California.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of supporting

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Cite this Entry

“Defending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defending. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on defending

Nglish: Translation of defending for Spanish Speakers

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