What does defend mean?
Word: Defend
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Defend means to keep someone or something safe from harm. You can also defend a friend by taking their side when others blame them.
Synonyms: protect, guard, shield
How do you spell defend?
Syllables: de - fend
Tricky part: Defend has just one f. Children often double it (deffend) or start with di (difend).
Watch out for: deffend, difend, defand
Memory tip: Say to yourself 'one f to defend': d-e-f-e-n-d, with an e on each side of the f.
Defend in a sentence
Example 1: Our goalkeeper jumped high to defend the goal.
Example 2: Our captain will defend her title at the chess meet this year.
Example 3: Kavya stood up to defend her friend when the others laughed.
Fun Fact
Defend and defence come from the Latin defendere, to ward off. American English spells the noun defense, with an s.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
defend
a) attack
b) rescue
c) answer
d) follow
Show answer
a) attack. To attack is to go after someone; to defend is to keep them safe.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) tackel
b) goalkeper
c) refaree
d) defend
Show answer
d) defend. Goalkeeper needs ee in keeper, tackle ends in le and referee has an e, not an a, after the f; defend has no slip.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The little bird flapped its wings to defent its nest from the crow.
a) flapped
b) little
c) defent
d) nest
Show answer
c) defent. Defend ends with a d, the same sound you hear at the end of shield and guard.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
defennd
a) n
b) e
c) d
d) f
Show answer
a) n. Defend has a single n, just before the last d.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. In a football match, the players who defend mostly try to ____.
a) carry the drinks at half-time
b) stop the other team scoring
c) score as many goals as they can
d) blow the whistle for fouls
Show answer
b) stop the other team scoring
2. Some boys teased Om, and Lila defended him. Lila ____.
a) laughed along with them
b) walked off quietly
c) teased Om as well
d) stood up for Om
Show answer
d) stood up for Om
