ENGLISH
REFERENCE

defending

v.
B1 Intermediate US //dɪˈfɛndɪŋ// UK //dɪfˈɛndɪŋ// de·fend·ing

v. to protect someone or something from an attack. You also use it to speak or act in support of an idea when people criticize it.

v. to protect from harm or danger; to support an argument or person against criticism. Transitive — requires a direct object.


SIMPLE

The soldiers are defending the city from the enemy.

CONTEXTUAL

She spent the entire afternoon defending her research findings against the tough questions from the committee.

COMPLEX

In a court of law, a lawyer is responsible for defending their client regardless of personal opinion, ensuring that the legal process remains fair and balanced for every individual.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. When used in sports, it can also be used intransitively to describe a team's tactical position.

Pitfall

he is defending from his ideashe is defending his ideasDefend is a transitive verb; you defend something directly rather than using 'from' to introduce the object being protected.

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