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Antonyms for defending
| Grammar : Verb |
| Spell : dih-fend |
| Phonetic Transcription : dɪˈfɛnd |
- abandon
- accuse
- aid
- assist
- attack
- blame
- condemn
- deny
- desert
- disapprove
- discourage
- endanger
- forget
- forsake
- give up
- harm
- help
- hurt
- ignore
- injure
- leave
- let go
- lose
- make peace
- neglect
- oppose
- protest
- punish
- quit
- reject
- release
- relinquish
- renounce
- resign
- reveal
- sentence
- squander
- support
- surrender
- uncover
- waste
Definition of defending
Origin :- mid-13c., from Old French defendre (12c.) "defend, resist," and directly from Latin defendere "ward off, protect, guard, allege in defense," from de- "from, away" (see de-) + -fendere "to strike, push," from PIE root *gwhen- "to strike, kill" (see bane). In the Mercian hymns, Latin defendet is glossed by Old English gescildeð. Related: Defended; defending.
- verb protect
- verb show support for
- We shall do our share in defending peace and freedom in the world.
- Extract from : « United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches » by Various
- Macarius was attacked when in a cemetery, and passed a whole night in defending himself.
- Extract from : « The Dream » by Emile Zola
- Donald defended himself; and if, in defending himself, he had taken a life, what then?
- Extract from : « The Hunted Outlaw » by Anonymous
- And all that time Leonora was defending her rival, and pleading her cause!
- Extract from : « Tales And Novels, Volume 8 (of 10) » by Maria Edgeworth
- One can show his sense of the magnitude of his crime even by the manner of defending it.
- Extract from : « Homeward Bound » by James Fenimore Cooper
- He made of them warriors, entrusting them with the care of defending society.
- Extract from : « The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ » by Nicolas Notovitch
- He had been so interested in the preparations for defending the place that he had not slept a wink.
- Extract from : « The Downfall » by Emile Zola
- He would not; he would die in defending them, and do what he could to save all.
- Extract from : « Harper's Young People, August 17, 1880 » by Various
- The burden of defending his country falls equally on every citizen.
- Extract from : « The Burning Spear » by John Galsworthy
- I was defending him, and Mr. Wilcox became jealous about me, however slightly.
- Extract from : « Howards End » by E. M. Forster
Synonyms for defending
- advocate
- aid
- apologize for
- argue
- assert
- avert
- back
- back up
- battle
- bear one out
- beat off
- befriend
- bulwark
- care for
- champion
- cherish
- come to defense of
- conserve
- contend
- cover
- cover for
- endorse
- entrench
- espouse
- exculpate
- exonerate
- explain
- fend off
- fight
- fight for
- fortify
- foster
- garrison
- go to bat for
- guarantee
- guard
- guard against
- hedge
- hold
- hold at bay
- house
- insure
- justify
- keep safe
- look after
- maintain
- mine
- nourish
- oppose
- panoply
- plead
- preserve
- prevent
- prove a case
- provide sanctuary
- put in a good word
- rationalize
- recommend
- repel danger
- resist
- retain
- ride shotgun for
- safeguard
- save
- say in defense
- screen
- second
- secure
- shelter
- shield
- speak up for
- stand by
- stand up for
- stave off
- stick up for
- stonewall
- support
- sustain
- take in
- thump for
- uphold
- vindicate
- war
- ward off
- warrant
- watch
- watch over
- withstand
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019