Word
defender
Phoneticsde·fend·er, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈfɛndɝ/
UK/dɪfˈɛndɐ/
Definitions
01sports player
A2 · Elementary Countable noun Sports
n. a player in a game like football whose main job is to stop the other team from scoring goals.
n. a player in a team sport whose primary tactical role is to prevent the opposing side from scoring.
“The defender kicked the ball away just before the striker could take a shot.”
“The team's defensive strategy relied on the central defender's ability to anticipate the opponent's passes and intercept them before they reached the penalty area.”
02protector
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. someone who protects a person, a place, or an idea from being attacked or hurt.
n. one who protects or guards a person, entity, or abstract principle against physical attack or verbal criticism.
“She has always been a strong defender of animal rights in her community.”
“Throughout his political career, he remained a staunch defender of free speech, even when the opinions being expressed were deeply unpopular.”
03legal representative
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Law Formal
n. a lawyer who represents a person accused of a crime in court.
n. a legal advocate who represents a defendant in criminal or civil proceedings, most commonly seen in the term 'public defender'.
日本語:弁護人※
“The public defender met with his client to prepare for the trial next week.”
“The court appointed a public defender to the case after the accused demonstrated that they could not afford private legal representation.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “defender” in context.
Verb
01. act as a defender
“He often had to act as a defender of his company's controversial policies.”
verb + prep + adj + noun
02. beat a defender
“The striker managed to beat the defender with a clever piece of footwork.”
verb + noun
03. outwit a defender
“The winger used his speed to outwit the defender and cross the ball into the box.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. central defender
“The team's central defender was praised for his excellent positioning during the match.”
adj + noun
05. resolute defender
“The lawyer was a resolute defender of the accused man's innocence.”
adj + noun
06. staunch defender
“She has always been a staunch defender of free speech and human rights.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. defender of civil liberties
“The organization is a prominent defender of civil liberties in the digital age.”
noun + of + noun
08. defender of the faith
“Historically, the monarch was known as the official defender of the faith.”
noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“This usually involves one or two defenders inside the penalty area, along with the goalkeeper.” “He did, though, draw defenders and present a physical presence up front, and that will be missed.” Etymology
From Middle English defender, deffender, defendere, defendour, defendoure, partly from Anglo-Norman defendour, from Old French defendëor; partly from Middle English defenden + -ere, equivalent to defend + -er.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/defender
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0