fend

verb

ˈfend How to pronounce fend (audio)
Definition of fendnext
as in to protect
to drive danger or attack away from learned to use humor to fend herself from criticism

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 fend The caller told dispatch that the animals’ owner had left Texas weeks prior, hadn’t returned and left the dogs to fend for themselves. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026 So Hal, while driving a car with John in the passenger seat, abruptly jumps out, sending the vehicle off a cliff and forcing John to grab the ring and fend for himself. — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 24 July 2026 In Villahermosa, dozens slept on the streets or in shelters, left to fend for themselves. — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026 Each state has been left to fend for itself, a legal patchwork that’s allowing Tesla to push forward despite safety concerns. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fend
  1. protect
  2. defend
  3. safeguard
  4. shield
  5. guard
Verb
  • Now, the state attorney general says the city must pay a fine or face a lawsuit for violating a state law protecting Confederate monuments and other longstanding memorials.
    — Riley Bunch, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Your 6th House of Work and Wellness hosts compassionate Venus, opposing spiritual Neptune in your 12th House of Solitude, so routines need boundaries that protect rest.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of protect
Verb
  • 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, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Asked about those changes and the growing scrutiny of the UFW's legacy, Huerta defended the organization's historic work on behalf of farmworkers while acknowledging the controversy surrounding Chavez.
    — Darrielle Fair, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of defend
Verb
  • Despite this multi-layered surveillance system, Tuesday’s massive influx overwhelmed the filtration hardware, forcing operators to bring the reactors offline once again to safeguard the facilities.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Only when these three defenses fail does asset protection planning become relevant, safeguarding assets as a last resort.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of safeguard
Verb
  • Existing laws already shield utilities from billions in wildfire damages, including Altadena’s deadly Eaton fire, as new proposals could further curb victim payouts and shift costs to homeowners’ insurance.
    — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • That platform hasn’t shielded her from Washington’s uglier rituals.
    — Kate Andersen Brower, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of shield
Verb
  • Shrine guards flick sticks with ostrich feathers at female pilgrims lingering too long in the shade to try to keep the flow of people moving.
    — Jane Arraf, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Cooper Powers and Ryan Hughes also rotated in at center and guard throughout the scrimmage.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of guard

Phrases Containing fend

Browse Nearby Words

fencing (in)
fend
fended
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fend. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fend

Nglish: Translation of fend for Spanish Speakers

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