DEFENSES Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

defenses

noun

plural of defense

as in safeguards

means or method of defending thorns are a rose's defense against grazing animals

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in excuses

an explanation that frees one from fault or blame there's absolutely no defense for your actions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of defenses Last season, according to TruMedia, defenses were in nickel or dime packages — five or six defensive backs — on close to 70 percent of snaps. — Daniel Popper, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Adversaries may soon be able to fly drones in coordinated swarms using AI, effectively overwhelming any defenses. — Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026 As the Lindsay Clancy trial has unfolded, other cases of mothers charged with killing their children who are arguing similar defenses also made their way through the court system. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Russian air defenses destroyed 130 Ukrainian drones overnight, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday. — ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026 This is also a good time to have the NFL schedule handy for the first few weeks when selecting defenses. — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026 Its longer range and better defenses help security teams reach missile sites and respond to threats faster. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026 Those situations call for additional defenses and safer habits. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 From 2022-24, Lewis was the mastermind of Alabama State’s defenses that once rivaled the Rattlers atop the FCS and SWAC. — John Devine, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defenses

Noun

The incident, along with subsequent episodes disclosed by Anthropic and Meta, sparked an industry-wide push to slow development of frontier AI models to improve safeguards keeping autonomous agents under human control.

— Corbin Bolies, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
My daughter is what those statistics look like when government safeguards fail.

— Nicole Russell, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of safeguards

Noun

Replacing a legend is never easy — but in terms of the players at his disposal, Enzo Maresca has no excuses.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
According to the complaint, Gilchrist would sporadically pay back his clients, but would come up with excuses such as government shutdowns and even claiming to be hospitalized to delay payments.

— Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of excuses

Noun

The Overton window for acceptable AI use in Hollywood continues to widen as Hollywood actors, television hosts, and influencers embrace cloning with protections and compensation.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Projects would also face limits on air pollution and requirements related to clean backup power, green building standards and worker protections.

— Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of protections

Noun

Idaho allows exemptions for medical, religious or other reasons, and medical justifications account for very few of those exemptions, according to data from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

— Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 21 Aug. 2026
At the center lies carceral safety politics—logics that turn fears of violence into justifications for punitive responses.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of justifications

Noun

Drops railway temperatures To prevent high-speed aerodynamic forces from ripping the heat shields off, researchers secured the magnetic strips with dual mechanical fasteners.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
Protective, almost — which makes sense, as its stunning chandeliers are designed to look like the shields and spears of African Masai warriors.

— Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of shields

Noun

Lebanese soldiers deployed there are tasked with preventing armed non-state actors, like Hezbollah, from coming in; confiscating any weapons and remnants of war; and restoring state authority.

— Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
By the end of 2010, the TSA had deployed around 500 machines designed to detect non-metallic weapons and explosives, the TSA's website said.

— Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of weapons

Noun

The walls are finished in shiplap, while wooden beams round out the space, giving it a subtly cottage-like appearance.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
Families covered hospital walls with posters showing missing relatives, photographs and contact numbers in a desperate appeal for any clue that could bring them home.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026