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What is the opposite of defend?

Need antonyms for defend? Here's a list of opposite words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Verb
Opposite of to protect or shield from harm or danger
“It was so silent that it was like one of those movies where suddenly a murderer pops up out of the bushes to attack the helpless woman.”
Verb
Opposite of to battle or fight in support or defense of something
“In August 1552, the young Tsar led a Russian army, perhaps 150,000 strong, to besiege Kazan, a walled and moated town set on a hill.”
Verb
Opposite of to maintain or defend, as a cause or a claim, by words or measures
“Now fans have taken to social media to slam the decision to remove Candice, who they argued was showing impressive strength and resolve throughout the process.”
Verb
Opposite of to support, justify, or make an excuse for a (perceived) misdeed
“He is fair and honest in all his inquiries and deliberations, ready to own his mistakes, and thankful for every help to discover them.”
Verb
Opposite of to protect from attack, harm or danger
Verb
Opposite of to show or prove to be right or reasonable
“Also, being a doubting Thomas, I wanted to verify those tall tales of the Alaskan winter and to disprove the rumor of the Alaskan qualification.”
Verb
Opposite of to prevent or protect (something) from being destroyed
“He would inevitably lose his hat when the wind swept it from his head.”
Verb
Opposite of to accept, support, or take on as one's own (an idea or a cause)
Verb
Opposite of to defend something as true despite strong opposition or arguments to the contrary
“I totally repudiate all of my previously-stated ignorant, unfactual and ahistorical arguments.”
Verb
Opposite of to provide an acceptable explanation for
“He knew that his remaining years would be spent in prison, and it was in some way to atone for his transgressions.”
Verb
Opposite of to sustain or support (something which has been questioned)
“The respondent requests that this matter be deferred until his motions are resolved, as he is seeking to overturn the verdict in his case.”
Verb
Opposite of to promote or support the interests or cause of
“One resident who lives two doors away defiantly said he would oppose any plans to redevelop the area.”
Verb
Opposite of to defend or protect
Verb
Opposite of to justify or make excuses for
“Will you confess to being at the bar when you were supposed to be at home?”
Verb
Opposite of to adhere to diligently or or in a steadfast manner
Verb
Opposite of to protect the state of someone or something
“This project has been set up to undermine the opposition's efforts to enact their policies.”
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