as in offender
a person who is being sued or accused of a crime in a court of law
The jury believed that the defendant was guilty.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 defendant
That’s because the Justice Department has dropped the case only against Trump, not against the two minor defendants alleged to be his accomplices.
—
The Editors, National Review, 15 Jan. 2025
The defendants are pushing back at the allegations.
—Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 15 Jan. 2025
Mohammed and other defendants have already acknowledged their guilt, undermining any other proceeding against them, the appeals court found.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 1 Jan. 2025
The rape lawsuit was originally filed in October 2024 in the Southern District of New York, listing the Bad Boy founder as a defendant.
—Regina Cho, VIBE.com, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for defendant 
The Editors, National Review, 15 Jan. 2025
The defendants are pushing back at the allegations.
—Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 15 Jan. 2025
Mohammed and other defendants have already acknowledged their guilt, undermining any other proceeding against them, the appeals court found.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 1 Jan. 2025
The rape lawsuit was originally filed in October 2024 in the Southern District of New York, listing the Bad Boy founder as a defendant.
—Regina Cho, VIBE.com, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for defendant
Thesaurus Entries Near defendant
Cite this Entry
“Defendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defendant. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share