defense

Language: en

🇬🇧 /dɪˈfɛns/ 🇺🇸 /dɪˈfɛns/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    The act of defending or protecting from attack, danger, or injury.; A means or method of defending or protecting.; The defendant and their legal counsel in a court of law; the case presented by or on behalf of the person being accused.; The act of defending a title, thesis, or championship against a challenger.; In sports, the team or players responsible for preventing the opposing team from scoring.; A justification or argument in support of something.; The military forces and resources of a country used for protection against external threats.; In chess and other games, a strategy or opening designed to counter an opponent's attack.; A psychological mechanism used to protect the ego from anxiety or distress.; A fortification or structure built to protect against attack.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable / uncountable Plural: defenses

Collocations

in defense ofself-defensedefense mechanismnational defensedefense systemput up a defensedefense attorney

Derivatives

defenddefensivedefensivelydefensivenessdefensibledefendantdefenderdefenselessindefensible

Synonyms

protectionguardshieldsafeguardbulwarkrampart

Antonyms

offenseattackaggression

Commonly confused

defence
EN: 'Defence' is the British English spelling; 'defense' is American English. They are identical in meaning.
defensive
EN: 'Defensive' is the adjective form (defensive strategy); 'defense' is the noun (the defense was strong).

Spelling tips

EN: American English spells it 'defense' (with 's'), while British English uses 'defence' (with 'c'). Do not mix spellings within the same document.

💬 Examples

  1. The soldiers were prepared for the defense of the city.

  2. A strong immune system is the body's best defense against disease.

  3. The defense argued that the evidence was insufficient to convict.

  4. The champion's defense of his title lasted only three rounds.

  5. Their defense held the opposing team to just two points in the second half.

  6. She wrote a passionate defense of free speech.

  7. The government increased the defense budget by ten percent.

  8. He employed the Sicilian Defense to counter White's aggressive opening.

  9. Denial is one of the most common defense mechanisms.

  10. The ancient defenses of the castle included a moat and thick stone walls.