# Nuremberg defense

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/nuremberg-defense
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An explanation offered as an excuse for behaving in a criminal or wrongful manner, claiming that one acted in this way because one was ordered by others (particularly superiors) to do so.

## Examples

- He used the Nuremberg defense to explain why he followed the illegal order.
- During the trial, the soldier attempted to use the Nuremberg defense, arguing that he was merely following instructions from his commanding officer.
- The manager tried to use a Nuremberg defense when the fraud was discovered, claiming he only signed the documents because the company director told him it was standard procedure.
- The lawyer rejected the defendant's reliance on the Nuremberg defense, asserting that personal moral responsibility cannot be surrendered simply because one is acting under the command of a superior.

## Origin

A mid-20th-century allusion to the legal strategy employed by former Nazi officials prosecuted during the Nuremberg trials following World War II. These proceedings took place in the city of Nuremberg, located in Bavaria, Germany. The term preserves the location of the military tribunals where defendants argued they were merely following the orders of superior officers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.