Defended — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective /di-ˈfend/ de·fend

Meaning & Definition of Defended

Defended (verb)

  1. to drive danger or attack away from
  2. to maintain or support in the face of argument or hostile criticism
  3. to prove (something, such as a doctoral thesis or dissertation) valid by answering questions in an oral exam

Defended (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in secure, secured

    similar: guarded, protected, safeguarded, secure, secured, shielded, defendable, defensible, tenable, bulletproof, impregnable, indomitable, invincible, inviolable, invulnerable, unassailable, unbeatable, unconquerable, untouchable
    opposite: indefensible, untenable, vincible, vulnerable, assailable, exposed, imperiled, insecure, liable, open, susceptible, undefended, unguarded, unprotected, unsecured, defenseless, helpless, powerless, weak

Defended (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to drive danger or attack away from

    "a solemn oath to defend the mother country at any cost"

    similar: bulwarked, covered, fenced, fended, forfended, guarded, kept, protected, safeguarded, screened, secured, shielded, warded, stood up for
    related: averted, prevented, opposed, resisted, withstood, battled, contended, fought, warred, conserved, preserved, saved, buffered, palisaded, picketed, walled
    opposite: assailed, assaulted, attacked
    near: bombarded, stormed, beset, besieged, overran, capitulated, caved, submitted, yielded

  2. to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections

    "she will pigheadedly defend any claim regardless of all evidence to the contrary"

    similar: justified, maintained, supported, upheld, stood up for, stuck up for
    related: advocated, championed, espoused, confirmed, vindicated, warranted, affirmed, asserted, averred, avouched, avowed, claimed, contended, insisted, pleaded, proclaimed, professed, protested, stated, argued, debated, discussed, emphasized, stressed, underlined, underscored
    near: abandoned, abjured, forsook, recanted, retracted, took back, withdrew, reversed, switched, controverted, disproved, rebutted, refuted

Related Entry: Defend (verb)

Defend is a different word from Defended. The synonyms below are for defend, not for defended.

  1. to drive danger or attack away from

    "a solemn oath to defend the mother country at any cost"

    similar: bulwark, cover, fence, fend, forfend, guard, keep, protect, safeguard, screen, secure, shield, ward, stand up for
    related: avert, prevent, oppose, resist, withstand, battle, contend, fight, war, conserve, preserve, save, buffer, palisade, picket, wall
    opposite: assail, assault, attack
    near: bombard, storm, beset, besiege, overrun, capitulate, cave, submit, yield

  2. to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections

    "she will pigheadedly defend any claim regardless of all evidence to the contrary"

    similar: justify, maintain, support, uphold, stand up for, stick up for
    related: advocate, champion, espouse, confirm, vindicate, warrant, affirm, assert, aver, avouch, avow, claim, contend, insist, plead, proclaim, profess, protest, state, argue, debate, discuss, emphasize, stress, underline, underscore
    near: abandon, abjure, forsake, recant, retract, take back, withdraw, reverse, switch, controvert, disprove, rebut, refute

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Defended

The most common words with a similar meaning to Defended:

guarded, protected, safeguarded, secure, secured, shielded, defendable, defensible, tenable, bulletproof, impregnable, indomitable, invincible, inviolable, invulnerable, unassailable, unbeatable, unconquerable, untouchable, bulwarked, covered, fenced, fended, forfended, kept, screened, warded, justified, maintained, supported, upheld, stood up for, stuck up for

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Defended

Words with the opposite meaning of Defended:

indefensible, untenable, vincible, vulnerable, assailable, exposed, imperiled, insecure, liable, open, susceptible, undefended, unguarded, unprotected, unsecured, defenseless, helpless, powerless, weak, assailed, assaulted, attacked

Related Words for Defended

averted, prevented, opposed, resisted, withstood, battled, contended, fought, warred, conserved, preserved, saved, buffered, palisaded, picketed, walled, advocated, championed, espoused, confirmed, vindicated, warranted, affirmed, asserted, averred, avouched, avowed, claimed, insisted, pleaded

Near Antonyms of Defended

bombarded, stormed, beset, besieged, overran, capitulated, caved, submitted, yielded, abandoned, abjured, forsook, recanted, retracted, took back, withdrew, reversed, switched, controverted, disproved, rebutted, refuted

Word Forms of Defended

Inflections: defending, defends

Derived words: defendable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Defended

Middle English defenden, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French defendre, defender, going back to Latin dēfendere "to ward off, fend off, repel danger from, protect," from dē- de- + -fendere, presumably, "to strike, hit" (unattested without prefixes), going back to Indo-European *gwhen-dh-, extended determinate form of *gwhen-, *gwhn- "strike, kill," whence Hittite kuenzi "(s/he) kills," kunanzi "(they) kill," Sanskrit hánti "(s/he) strikes, kills," ghnánti "(they) strike, kill," Greek theínein "to strike," épethnon "(I) killed," Old Irish gonaid "(s/he) pierces, wounds, kills," Welsh gwan- "stab, pierce," Lithuanian genù, giñti "to drive (cattle, etc.)," Old Church Slavic ženǫ, gŭnati "to drive, chase out, expel"; also, from nominal derivative *gwhon-, Greek phónos "bloodshed, murder," and from *gwhń̥-tih2, Germanic *gunþī, *gunþjō, whence Old English gūþ "battle, combat," Old Saxon gūđea, Old High German gund-, Old Icelandic gunnr, guðr

First known use: 14th centuryt

Frequently Asked Questions about Defended

What does "Defended" mean?

"Defended" means to drive danger or attack away from. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to drive danger or attack away from. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Defended"?

Other words for "Defended" include guarded, protected, safeguarded, secure, secured, shielded, defendable and defensible. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Defended" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Defended"?

There are 74 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Defended". Common alternatives include guarded, protected, safeguarded, secure, secured, shielded, defendable, defensible, tenable and bulletproof.

What is the opposite of "Defended"?

Antonyms of "Defended" include indefensible, untenable, vincible, vulnerable, assailable, exposed, imperiled and insecure. Near antonyms include bombarded, stormed, beset and besieged.

How do you use "Defended" in a sentence?

Examples of "Defended" in a sentence: "a solemn oath to defend the mother country at any cost"; "she will pigheadedly defend any claim regardless of all evidence to the contrary".

Is "Defended" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Defended" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Defended"?

"Defended" is pronounced /di-ˈfend/ and divided into syllables as de·fend.

What is the origin of the word "Defended"?

"Defended" comes from Middle English defenden, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French defendre, defender, going back to Latin dēfendere "to ward off, fend off, repel danger from, protect," from dē- de- + -fendere, presumably, "to strike, hit" (unattested without prefixes), going back to Indo-European *gwhen-dh-, extended determinate form of *gwhen-, *gwhn- "strike, kill," whence Hittite kuenzi "(s/he) kills," kunanzi "(they) kill," Sanskrit hánti "(s/he) strikes, kills," ghnánti "(they) strike, kill," Greek theínein "to strike," épethnon "(I) killed," Old Irish gonaid "(s/he) pierces, wounds, kills," Welsh gwan- "stab, pierce," Lithuanian genù, giñti "to drive (cattle, etc.)," Old Church Slavic ženǫ, gŭnati "to drive, chase out, expel"; also, from nominal derivative *gwhon-, Greek phónos "bloodshed, murder," and from *gwhń̥-tih2, Germanic *gunþī, *gunþjō, whence Old English gūþ "battle, combat," Old Saxon gūđea, Old High German gund-, Old Icelandic gunnr, guðr. First known use: 14th centuryt.