Need another word that means the same as “defend”? Find 41 synonyms and 30 related words for “defend” in this overview.
The synonyms of “Defend” are: fend for, support, maintain, guard, hold, represent, champion, fight, fight back, fight down, oppose, protect, safeguard, keep from harm, preserve, secure, shield, shelter, screen, justify, vindicate, argue for, speak for, speak on behalf of, speak in support of, give an apologia for, make a case for, plead for, make excuses for, excuse, exonerate, palliate, back, stand by, stick up for, stand up for, endorse, uphold, come to the defence of, sustain, bolster
According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “defend” as a verb can have the following definitions:
| argue for | Present reasons and arguments. |
| back | Travel backward. My garage backs their yard. |
| bolster | Prop up with a pillow or bolster. They bolstered the seats for a more comfortable ride. |
| champion | Protect or fight for as a champion. He championed the rights of the working class and the poor. |
| come to the defence of | Move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody. |
| endorse | Give support or one’s approval to. The speed and accuracy achieved will be endorsed on the certificate. |
| excuse | Defend explain clear away or make excuses for by reasoning. Please excuse my dirty hands. |
| exonerate | Release someone from (a duty or obligation. An inquiry exonerated those involved. |
| fend for | Withstand the force of something. |
| fight | Fight against or resist strongly. The men were fighting. |
| fight back | Exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end or engage in a crusade for a certain cause or person; be an advocate for. |
| fight down | Exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end or engage in a crusade for a certain cause or person; be an advocate for. |
| give an apologia for | Emit or utter. |
| guard | Watch over (someone) to prevent them from escaping. The company fiercely guarded its independence. |
| hold | Contain or hold have within. The boat s anchor would not hold. |
| justify | Show to be right by providing justification or proof. Justify the margins. |
| keep from harm | Stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state. |
| maintain | Maintain by writing regular records. He maintained his innocence. |
| make a case for | Charge with a function; charge to be. |
| make excuses for | Favor the development of. |
| oppose | Actively resist (a person or system. The board opposed his motion. |
| palliate | Disguise the seriousness of (an offence. This eliminated or at least palliated suspicions aroused by German unity. |
| plead for | Enter a plea, as in courts of law. |
| preserve | Treat (food) to prevent its decomposition. A fight to preserve local democracy. |
| protect | Keep safe from harm or injury. Use a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB. |
| represent | Be representative or typical for. The three heads of Cerberus represent the past present and future. |
| safeguard | Protect from harm or damage with an appropriate measure. A framework which safeguards employees from exploitation. |
| screen | Separate something from something else with or as if with a screen. Screen these samples. |
| secure | Fix or attach (something) firmly so that it cannot be moved or lost. Doors are likely to be well secured at night. |
| shelter | Provide shelter for. Only your rental income can be sheltered. |
| shield | Enclose or screen (a piece of machinery) to protect the user. Uranium shutters shield the cobalt radioactive source. |
| speak for | Give a speech to. |
| speak in support of | Exchange thoughts; talk with. |
| speak on behalf of | Make a characteristic or natural sound. |
| stand by | Be standing; be upright. |
| stand up for | Put up with something or somebody unpleasant. |
| stick up for | Be a devoted follower or supporter. |
| support | Be the physical support of carry the weight of. Olivier supported Gielgud beautifully in the second act. |
| sustain | Supply with necessities and support. We sustained ourselves on bread and water. |
| uphold | Confirm or support (something which has been questioned. They uphold a tradition of not causing distress to living creatures. |
| vindicate | Maintain, uphold, or defend. You must vindicate yourself and fight this libel. |
| aegis | Armor plate that protects the chest; the front part of a cuirass. The negotiations were conducted under the aegis of the UN. |
| angel | In traditional Christian angelology a being of the lowest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy. Every year we raise the money for the next season and we are always looking for an angel. |
| armor | Equip with armor. |
| bastion | A natural rock formation resembling a man made bastion. The last bastion of communism. |
| conservancy | A commission with jurisdiction over fisheries and navigation in a port or river. From the point of view of nature conservancy I d rather see it left unspoilt. |
| convoy | A group of ships or vehicles travelling together, typically one accompanied by armed troops, warships, or other vehicles for protection. American destroyers helped to convoy much needed supplies to Britain in 1917 18. |
| cudgel | Beat with a cudgel. They would lie in wait and cudgel her to death. |
| defence | The action of defending from or resisting attack. She came to the defence of the eccentric professor. |
| defense | A structure used to defend against attack. The artillery battered down the defenses. |
| defensible | Justifiable by argument. A fort with a defensible yard at its feet. |
| fighting | The action of fighting violence or conflict. He put up his fists and took a fighting stance. |
| guard | The person who plays the position of guard on a basketball team. A security guard. |
| guardian | A person who cares for persons or property. Self appointed guardians of public morality. |
| helmet | Armor plate that protects the head. |
| heroine | The main good female character in a work of fiction. Jane Austen s heroines. |
| protect | Shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage. The wetlands have been protected since 1998. |
| protecting | Shielding (or designed to shield) against harm or discomfort. A protecting alibi. |
| protector | A person who cares for persons or property. A man who became her protector adviser and friend. |
| sentry | A soldier stationed to keep guard or to control access to a place. On sentry duty. |
| shield | A stylized representation of a shield used for displaying a coat of arms. Cylindrical ducts shield the propellers. |
| soldier | Serve as a soldier in the military. I soldiered with your father on his last four campaigns. |
| sword | A cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard. Not many perished by the sword. |
| tenable | (of an office, position, scholarship, etc.) able to be held or used. A scholarship of 200 per annum tenable for three years. |
| territorial | A territorial military unit. These sharks are aggressively territorial. |
| tutelar | Providing protective supervision; watching over or safeguarding. Tutelary gods. |
| tutelary | Providing protective supervision; watching over or safeguarding. The state maintained a tutelary relation with the security police. |
| ward | The grooves in the bit of a key that correspond to the wards in a lock. It was his duty to ward the king. |
| watchman | A man employed to look after an empty building, especially at night. A night watchman. |
| windshield | A window at the front of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle; a windscreen. |
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