Meaning & use
defense
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
Action taken to protect someone or something from attack or harm.
Grammar: Often followed by of or against: in defense of the town.
Patterns
- defense of something
- defense against something
The villagers built a wall in defense of their homes.
Vaccines are our best defense against the disease.
He raised his arm in self-defense.
nouncountable
Something that protects or helps guard against attack, such as a wall, a tactic or a body system.
Grammar: Often plural: the body's defenses.
Patterns
- a defense against something
- defenses of a country
The river was the city's last defense against the invaders.
Sleep strengthens the body's natural defenses.
The castle's defenses included a moat and thick walls.
nouncountable or uncountable
Words or arguments used to support someone or something against criticism or blame.
Grammar: Often in speak in someone's defense.
Patterns
- in defense of someone
- come to someone's defense
She spoke in defense of her friend.
The author wrote a spirited defense of the novel.
He came to my defense when I was criticized.
nounsingularlegal
In law, the side that argues against an accusation, or the case it presents.
Grammar: Takes the: the defense called its first witness.
Patterns
- the defense lawyer
- witness for the defense
The defense argued that the witness was mistaken.
A lawyer for the defense questioned the officer.
The defense rested its case on Friday.
nouncountablesport
In sports, the players or tactics aimed at stopping the other side from scoring.
Grammar: Usually the defense for the group: the defense stopped them. American speakers often stress the first syllable here (DEE-fence).
Patterns
- play defense
- the defense of a team
The team's defense allowed only ten points.
He plays defense on the soccer team.
A strong defense won them the match.
Word forms
| plural | defenses |
|---|
Common combinations
- in defense of
- The mayor spoke in defense of the new park.
- self-defense
- She took a class in self-defense.
- national defense
- The budget increased spending on national defense.
- defense attorney
- The defense attorney called an expert.
- strong defense
- A strong defense kept the score low.
- come to someone's defense
- Her sister came to her defense at the meeting.
Synonyms and how they differ
- protection
- Protection is wider and can mean shelter from weather or risk, not only from attack.
- guard
- A guard is a person or thing that watches over something, while defense often means the action or plan itself.
- justification
- Justification is a reason given for an action, a narrower use than defense of a person or idea.
- shield
- Shield is a physical or figurative cover, typically smaller and more literal than defense.
Opposites
Word family
- defend verb
- to protect or support against attack or criticism
- defender noun
- a person who protects, or a player who defends
- defensive adjective
- protecting, or quick to feel criticized
- defensible adjective
- able to be defended or justified
- defenseless adjective
- unable to protect oneself
Commonly confused: defense or defence? defense or offense?
defense vs defence
Defence is the standard British spelling of the same word; American English uses defense.
defense vs offense
Offense is the opposite of defense in games, where it means the side trying to score, and it also means a wrong act or the feeling of being insulted.
Practice
Vaccines are one of the best forms of ___ against serious illness.
Choose one answer.
Defense against means protection from something harmful, which is what vaccines provide. Offense would mean an attack, and the others have different meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “defense”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.