Defend, protect, shield, guard, safeguard mean to keep secure from danger or against attack. Defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack. Defend implies repelling or being ready to repel an attack:
The army defended the border against the enemy. To defend is to strive to keep safe by resisting attack: To protect someone or something against attack or criticism:
Jan 20, 2026defend (third-person singular simple present defends, present participle defending, simple past and past participle defended) (transitive) to ward off attacks against; To defend is to protect or guard against harm or danger, typically in context of an attack or potential threats. It can also refer to resisting or standing up against something that is seen as harmful or.
Defend, guard, preserve, protect all mean to keep safe. If you defend someone or something, you take action in order to protect them. Every man who could fight was now committed to defend the ridge.
[verb noun] his courage in defending religious and. The group defends [= protects] the rights of the poor. The company must defend its own interests.
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