fend

verb

ˈfend How to pronounce fend (audio)
Definition of fendnext
as in to protect
to drive danger or attack away from learned to use humor to fend herself from criticism

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 fend Neither was capable of providing for citizens made desperate by endless war and endemic poverty, who were often left to fend for themselves. — Kareem Fahim, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026 In order to test him during his childhood, his parents do everything from shooting an apple off his head to leaving him stranded in a dangerous part of town, forcing John to fend for himself. — Matt Minton, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026 The announcement is the latest fallout from the botched handling of the calls on July 27 that left the elderly woman fending for herself against her attacker for more than three hours. — David Clarey, jsonline.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Accredited schools are required to either provide clinical placements or help students find them, but many skate by doing the bare minimum, leaving students to fend for themselves. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fend
  1. protect
  2. defend
  3. safeguard
  4. shield
  5. guard
Verb
  • Rowling has been staunchly critical of transgender rights activists, funding legal efforts to protect women’s rights and penning X/Twitter posts that are considered to be attacks by the trans community.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Go rebound the basketball, go protect the rim, be a big big for us.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of protect
Verb
  • We grow practiced at defending art by describing its return on investment.
    — Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Andrés Zamora, Secuoya Studios’ director of global sales and distribution, said such deals underline the role distribution can play in financing projects, while also forcing producers to defend their position.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of defend
Verb
  • Huang wants a financing and creative setup that safeguards Yen’s voice and the film’s Taiwanese character.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Officials said one of the Coast Guard's missions is environmental protection, which includes safeguarding marine life.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of safeguard
Verb
  • In Flanagan‘s take, Margaret is fiercely committed to shielding Carrie from the world’s dangers and from her classmates’ cruelty, even becoming a parental advocate in their community and on social media.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The installation at the military’s oldest active test base would help shield critical defense operations from wider grid failures.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of shield
Verb
  • When democratic activists demanded greater civil rights in the late nineteenth century, some yakuza came out to guard their rallies.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • It was announced on Saturday that Judkins and QB Deshaun Watson had been fined a cool $14,397, while guard Austin Barber, who also snuck a hit off of the invisible blunt, had to pony up $6,944.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of guard

Phrases Containing fend

Browse Nearby Words

fencing (in)
fend
fended
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fend. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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