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defend - 20 thesaurus results
| Main Entry: | defend |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | protect |
| Synonyms: | avert, battle, bulwark, cherish, conserve, contend, cover, entrench, espouse, fend off, fight, fortify, foster, garrison, guard, hedge, hold, house, insure, maintain, mine, nourish, oppose, preserve, prevent, resist, retain, safeguard, save, screen, secure, shelter, shield, stave off, sustain, take in, uphold, war, watch, withstand, beat off, care for, fight for, guard against, hold at bay, keep safe, look after, panoply, provide sanctuary, repel danger, ward off, watch over |
| Antonyms: | abandon, attack, desert, leave, quit, relinquish, resign, surrender |
| Main Entry: | defend |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | show support for |
| Synonyms: | advocate, aid, argue, assert, back, back up, befriend, champion, endorse, espouse, exculpate, exonerate, explain, go to bat for*, guarantee, justify, maintain, plead, rationalize, recommend, second, stonewall*, support, sustain, uphold, vindicate, warrant, apologize for, bear one out, come to defense of, cover for, prove a case, put in a good word, ride shotgun for, say in defense, speak up for, stand by, stand up for, stick up for, thump for |
| Antonyms: | deny, forsake, renounce |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | advocate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | support idea or cause publicly |
| Synonyms: | advance, advise, back, bless, bolster, boost*, build up, champion, countenance, defend, encourage, favor, further, go for, go to bat for*, justify, plug*, promote, propose, push, recommend, side, support, tout, uphold, urge, vindicate, argue for, be in corner, brace up, campaign for, get on bandwagon, give a leg up, give a lift, go with, hold with, plead for, plump for*, press for, ride shotgun for, root for, run interference for, say so, speak for, spread around, stump for |
| Antonyms: | assail, attack, criticize, impugn, oppose, protest |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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 |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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, go to bat for*, patronize, promote, support, uphold, fight for, plead for, put in a good word for, ride shotgun for, side with, stand behind, stand up for, thump for |
| Antonyms: | oppose, be against |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | cherish |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | care about deeply |
| Synonyms: | admire, adore, appreciate, clasp, coddle, comfort, cosset, cultivate, defend, dote on, embrace, encourage, enshrine, entertain, fancy, fondle, foster, guard, harbor, honor, hug, idolize, like, love, nourish, nurse, nurture, pet, preserve, prize, revere, reverence, safeguard, shelter, shield, support, sustain, treasure, value, venerate, worship, apprize, care for, cleave to, cling to, hold dear, hold in high esteem |
| Notes: | cherish means to be fond of, be attached to, while nurture means to bring up, help develop, help grow, or provide with nourishment |
| Antonyms: | abandon, denounce, forsake, renounce, not care |
| Main Entry: | claim |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | demand, maintain property or right |
| Synonyms: | adduce, advance, allege, ask, assert, believe, call for, challenge, collect, declare, defend, exact, hit, hold, insist, justify, knock, need, pick up, pop the question*, postulate, pretend, profess, pronounce, require, requisition, solicit, take, uphold, vindicate, have dibs on something, hit up, hold out for, lay claim to, stake out |
| Antonyms: | deny, disclaim, question |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | convoy |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | protect, escort |
| Synonyms: | accompany, attend, bear, bring, chaperon, companion, company, conduct, consort, defend, guard, pilot, safeguard, shepherd, shield, usher, watch |
| Antonyms: | ignore, neglect |
| Main Entry: | excuse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | forgive, absolve; justify |
| Synonyms: | acquit, alibi, appease, bear with, clear, condone, cover, defend, discharge, exculpate, exempt, exonerate, explain, extenuate, forgive, free, indulge, let off*, liberate, mitigate, overlook, pardon, pass over*, pretext, purge, rationalize, release, relieve, remit, reprieve, shrive, shrug off, spare, tolerate, vindicate, whitewash*, apologize for, dispense from, exempt from, give absolution, grant amnesty, let go, make allowances for, plead ignorance, take rap for, wink at* |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | go to bat for |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | show support for |
| Synonyms: | back up, defend, endorse, recommend, support, cover for, go to the wall for, stand behind, stand by, stand up for, stick up for |
| Main Entry: | guard |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | protect, watch |
| Synonyms: | attend, baby-sit, bulwark, chaperon, chaperone, conduct, convoy, cover, defend, escort, fend, keep, lookout, mind, observe, oversee, patrol, police*, preserve, safeguard, save, screen, secure, shelter, shepherd, shield, stonewall*, superintend, supervise, tend, cover up, keep an eye on, keep in view, keep under surveillance, look after, ride shotgun for, see after, shotgun |
| Antonyms: | disregard, forget, ignore, neglect |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | justify |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | legitimize, substantiate |
| Synonyms: | absolve, acquit, advocate, alibi*, answer for, approve, assert, bear out, brief, claim, clear, condone, confirm, contend, cop a plea, countenance, crawl, defend, establish, exculpate, excuse, exonerate, explain, favor, legalize, maintain, palliate, pardon, plead, rationalize, rebut, square, support, sustain, uphold, validate, verify, vindicate, warrant, apologize for, argue for, be answerable for, do justice to, make allowances, make good, show cause, speak in favor, stand up for |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | mask |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disguise |
| Synonyms: | beard, camouflage, cloak, conceal, cover, defend, dissemble, dissimulate, dress up, front, guard, hide, obscure, protect, safeguard, screen, secrete, shield, veil, cover up |
| Antonyms: | reveal, uncover, unmask |
| Main Entry: | preserve |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | care for, maintain; continue |
| Synonyms: | bottle, can, conserve, cure, defend, evaporate, freeze, guard, keep, keep up, mummify, perpetuate, pickle, process, protect, put up, refrigerate, retain, safeguard, save, season, secure, shelter, shield, store, sustain, uphold, mothball |
| Antonyms: | destroy, hurt, ruin |
| Main Entry: | proselytize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | convert, espouse |
| Synonyms: | accept, adopt, advocate, approve, convince, defend, embrace, persuade, sway, uphold, alter conviction, be born again, cause to adopt, change belief, get into, stand behind* |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | protect |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | take care of; guard from harm |
| Synonyms: | assure, bulwark, champion, chaperon, conserve, cover, cushion, defend, fend, foster, go to bat for*, harbor, hedge, insulate, keep, preserve, safeguard, save, screen, secure, sentinel, shade, shelter, shield, stonewall*, support, watch, care for, cover all bases, cover up, give refuge, give sanctuary, keep safe, look after, ride shotgun for, shotgun, stand guard, take under wing, watch over |
| Antonyms: | attack, harm, hurt, injure |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | revenge |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | retaliate for wrong, grievance |
| Synonyms: | avenge, be out for blood, defend, even the score, fight back, fix, fix one's wagon, get, get back at, get even, give comeuppance, give just desserts, hit back, justify, kick back, make reprisal, match, pay back, pay back in spades, pay off, punish, reciprocate, redress, repay, requite, retort, return, return the compliment, score, settle up, settle with, square, stick it to, take an eye for an eye, turn the tables on, venge, vindicate |
| Antonyms: | forgive, pardon, sympathize |
| Main Entry: | safeguard |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | protect |
| Synonyms: | assure, bulwark, conserve, cover, defend, ensure, fend, guard, insure, preserve, ride shotgun*, save, screen, secure, shield, look after, watch over |
| Antonyms: | endanger, harm, hurt, injure, lay open |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | shelter |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | provide safety, cover |
| Synonyms: | chamber, conceal, cover, defend, enclose, guard, harbor, haven, hide, house, lodge, preserve, protect, roof, safeguard, screen, secure, shield, surround, take in, ward, cover up, take care of, watch over |
| Antonyms: | turn away |
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
