# defendant

/dɪˈfɛndənt/ (US) · /dɪfˈɛndənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/defendant
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. the accused person

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

the person in a court case who is accused of doing something wrong or illegal.

For teachers: the individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law. In criminal cases, this is the person charged with an offence; in civil cases, it is the party responding to a complaint.

- The defendant stood up when the judge entered the courtroom.
- The defendant maintained his innocence throughout the trial, despite the mounting evidence presented by the prosecution.

Usage: In criminal law, the term is used for the person charged; in civil law, it refers to the person being sued.

Teaching tip: Learners should distinguish this from 'plaintiff' (the person who starts the case) and 'suspect' (the person the police think did it before the trial starts).

## Examples

- The defendant stood up when the judge entered the room.
- The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges after consulting with her legal team for several hours.
- Legal counsel for the defendant argued that the evidence presented by the prosecution was circumstantial and failed to meet the burden of proof required for a conviction.

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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.