in defense of (something or someone)
idiom
variants
or in something's or someone's defense
1
: in order to keep (something) safe that is being physically attacked
They fought in defense of their country.
2
: in support of (someone or something) that is being verbally attacked or criticized
She spoke out in defense of justice.
Let me say, in her defense, that I would have done the same thing that she did.
He spoke up in his own defense.
Examples of in defense of (something or someone) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In February 2024, as Trump was plotting his way back to the White House, Trump came out in defense of Bud Light parent company Anheuser-Busch.
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Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Sports talk show host Skip Bayless posted a 16-minute rant in defense of Sanders on X, while condemning the Browns for their handling of the quarterback.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
These ordinary professionals started a group called Indians for Democracy that helped mobilize American opinion makers to speak more loudly in defense of Indian democracy.
—Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
And, of course, there are the rallies and demonstrations where thousands of ordinary citizens are coming out in defense of democracy.
—Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in defense of (something or someone)
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Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Sports talk show host Skip Bayless posted a 16-minute rant in defense of Sanders on X, while condemning the Browns for their handling of the quarterback.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
These ordinary professionals started a group called Indians for Democracy that helped mobilize American opinion makers to speak more loudly in defense of Indian democracy.
—Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
And, of course, there are the rallies and demonstrations where thousands of ordinary citizens are coming out in defense of democracy.
—Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in defense of (something or someone)
Cite this Entry
“In defense of (something or someone).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20defense%20of%20%28something%20or%20someone%29. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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