| Main Entry: | defend |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | protect |
Synonyms: |
avert, battle, beat off, bulwark, care for, cherish, conserve, contend, cover, entrench, espouse, fend off, fight, fight for, fortify, foster, garrison, guard, guard against, hedge, hold, hold at bay, house, insure, keep safe, look after, maintain, mine, nourish, oppose, panoply, preserve, prevent, provide sanctuary, repel danger, resist, retain, safeguard, save, screen, secure, shelter, shield, stave off, sustain, take in, uphold, war, ward off, watch, watch over, withstand |
Antonyms: |
abandon, attack, desert, leave, quit, relinquish, resign, surrender |
| Main Entry: | defend |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | show support for |
Synonyms: |
advocate, aid, apologize for, argue, assert, back, back up, bear one out, befriend, champion, come to defense of, cover for, endorse, espouse, exculpate, exonerate, explain, go to bat for, guarantee, justify, maintain, plead, prove a case, put in a good word, rationalize, recommend, ride shotgun for, say in defense, second, speak up for, stand by, stand up for, stick up for, stonewall, support, sustain, thump for, uphold, vindicate, warrant |
Antonyms: |
deny, forsake, renounce |
| Main Entry: | acknowledge |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | verbally recognize authority |
Synonyms: |
accede, accept, acquiesce, agree, allow, approve, attest to, certify, defend, defer to, endorse, grant, own, ratify, recognize, subscribe to, support, take an oath, uphold, yield |
Antonyms: |
forswear, ignore, refuse, renounce, repudiate |
| Main Entry: | advocate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | support idea or cause publicly |
Synonyms: |
advance, advise, argue for, back, be in corner, bless, bolster, boost*, brace up, build up, campaign for, champion, countenance, defend, encourage, favor, further, get on bandwagon, give a leg up, give a lift, go for, go to bat for, go with, hold with, justify, plead for, plug*, plump for, press for, promote, propose, push, recommend, ride shotgun for, root for, run interference for, say so, side, speak for, spread around, stump for, support, tout, uphold, urge, vindicate |
Antonyms: |
assail, attack, criticize, impugn, oppose, protest |
| Main Entry: | answer |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | reply, react |
Synonyms: |
acknowledge, answer back, argue, back at you, back talk, be in touch, claim, comeback, contest, counterclaim, defend, deny, disprove, dispute, echo, explain, feedback, field the question, get back at, get back to, give a snappy comeback, parry, plead, rebut, refute, rejoin, remark, resolve, respond, retaliate, retort, return, sass, say, settle, shoot back, solve, squelch, talk back, top* |
| Notes: | an answer is something said, written, or done in return; a reply is an answer that satisfies a detail in a question |
Antonyms: |
ask, question |
| Main Entry: | argue |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | try to convince; present support |
Synonyms: |
appeal, assert, attest, claim, contend, controvert, defend, demonstrate, denote, display, elucidate, establish, evince, exhibit, explain, hold, imply, indicate, justify, maintain, manifest, persuade, plead, present, prevail upon, reason, show, suggest, talk into, testify, vindicate, warrant, witness |
Antonyms: |
agree, comply |
| Main Entry: | assert |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | insist, declare, maintain |
Synonyms: |
advance, affirm, allege, argue, asservate, attest, aver, avouch, avow, butt in, cite, claim, contend, defend, horn in, justify, mouth off, pop off, predicate, press, proclaim, profess, pronounce, protest, put forward, say, shoot off one's mouth, shoot one's wad, stand up for, state, stress, swear, uphold, vindicate, warrant |
Antonyms: |
deny, reject |
| Main Entry: | barricade |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | block, usually to protect |
Synonyms: |
bar, blockade, defend, fortify, obstruct, shut in |
Antonyms: |
allow, open |
| Main Entry: | champion |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | advocate, support |
Synonyms: |
back, battle, contend, defend, espouse, fight for, go to bat for, patronize, plead for, promote, put in a good word for, ride shotgun for, side with, stand behind, stand up for, support, thump for, uphold |
Antonyms: |
be against, oppose |
| Main Entry: | cherish |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | care about deeply |
Synonyms: |
admire, adore, appreciate, apprize, care for, clasp, cleave to, cling to, coddle, comfort, cosset, cultivate, defend, dote on, embrace, encourage, enshrine, entertain, fancy, fondle, foster, guard, harbor, hold dear, hold in high esteem, honor, hug, idolize, like, love, nourish, nurse, nurture, pet, preserve, prize, revere, reverence, safeguard, shelter, shield, support, sustain, treasure, value, venerate, worship |
Antonyms: |
abandon, denounce, forsake, not care, renounce |