de·fen·dant
di-ˈfen-dənt 
in legal circles often
-ˌdant
law
: a person or group against whom a criminal or civil action is brought : someone who is being sued or accused of committing a crime
if the jury finds the defendant not guilty
compare plaintiff
Examples of defendant in a Sentence
Noun
The jury believed that the defendant was guilty.
Recent Examples on the Web
Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Most of those cases were still working their way through the system; eight had been dismissed, and 17 defendants hadn't shown up to court, likely earning them warrants for failing to appear.
—Vanessa Rancaño, NPR, 28 Dec. 2024
John Lynch, Arkansas Online, 18 Mar. 2023
The trial of Oath Keeper leader Stewart Rhodes and his associates late last year was a similarly complex, multi-defendant trial.
—Quinn Owen, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for defendant 
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Noun
Under the terms of the settlement, the defendants will pay $10 million to the government and $5 million to a group of former SCMC and UDL staff who filed a whistleblower suit against their former employers.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Most of those cases were still working their way through the system; eight had been dismissed, and 17 defendants hadn't shown up to court, likely earning them warrants for failing to appear.
—Vanessa Rancaño, NPR, 28 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Parker's co-defendant, 26-year-old George Jealvontia Henderson of West Memphis, was given immunity from the charges in exchange for cooperating with then-prosecutor Scott Ellington, who was the 2nd Judicial District elected prosecuting attorney at the time.
—John Lynch, Arkansas Online, 18 Mar. 2023
The trial of Oath Keeper leader Stewart Rhodes and his associates late last year was a similarly complex, multi-defendant trial.
—Quinn Owen, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for defendant
Dictionary Entries Near defendant
Cite this Entry
“Defendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defendant. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
defendant
noun
de·fen·dant
di-ˈfen-dənt, -ˌdant
: the party against whom a criminal or civil action is brought see also answer, codefendant compare accused, plaintiff
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