# defense

/dɪˈfɛns/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/defense
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. protection from attack

noun · CEFR B1 · American English

the act of protecting someone or something from being hurt or damaged.

For teachers: the action of defending or protecting from physical or metaphorical attack, danger, or injury.

- The city built a strong defense to protect the citizens from the rising floodwaters.
- The castle's primary defense consisted of a deep moat and thick stone walls designed to withstand a prolonged siege.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'against'.

### 2. military and government

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

the way a country protects itself using its army, navy, and air force.

For teachers: government policy, infrastructure, and personnel related to national security and the military.

- The government decided to increase spending on national defense this year.
- The minister of defense argued that modernizing the air fleet was essential for maintaining regional stability.

Teaching tip: In British English, this is spelled 'defence'.

### 3. law

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

the lawyer or team of lawyers who represent the person accused of a crime.

For teachers: the counsel and strategy used by the party being sued or accused in a legal proceeding.

- The defense argued that the man was at home during the time of the crime.
- The defense rested its case after presenting three witnesses who contradicted the prosecution's timeline of events.

### 4. sports

noun · CEFR B1 · American English

the players on a team whose job is to stop the other team from scoring.

For teachers: the players, or the collective strategy, tasked with preventing the opposing team from scoring points.

- Our team has a great defense, so the other side couldn't score any goals.
- The coach emphasized that a solid defense is just as vital to winning the championship as a high-scoring offense.

### 5. justification

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Formal

an argument or speech that supports an idea or person that is being criticized.

For teachers: a spoken or written argument intended to justify or support a specific position or action.

- She wrote a long letter in defense of her friend's controversial decision.
- The professor published a brilliant defense of classical literature, arguing for its continued relevance in the digital age.

### 6. to play defensively

verb · CEFR C1 · American English · Technical

to use a specific plan to stop an opponent from scoring in a game.

For teachers: to employ defensive tactics or play in a defensive position during a sporting contest.

- The team struggled to defense the opponent's fast players in the second half.
- The strategy was to defense the perimeter aggressively, forcing the shooters into difficult, contested attempts from long range.

Usage: This verb use is primarily found in American sports jargon; 'defend' is the standard verb in most other contexts.

## Examples

- The city built a strong wall for defense.
- The lawyer prepared a strong defense to prove that his client was innocent of the charges.
- The nation's strategy shifted from offensive maneuvers to a robust coastal defense, prioritizing the protection of its borders over territorial expansion.

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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.