defendant

1 of 2

noun

de·​fen·​dant di-ˈfen-dənt How to pronounce defendant (audio)
in legal circles often
-ˌdant How to pronounce defendant (audio)
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

defendant

2 of 2

adjective

: being on the defensive : defending

Examples of defendant in a Sentence

Noun The jury believed that the defendant was guilty.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Defendants Kenneth Chesebro, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis and Scott Hall subsequently took plea deals in exchange for agreeing to testify against other defendants. Olivia Rubin, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2024 The jury ordered the defendants to pay almost $1.8 billion in damages – and potentially more than $5 billion if the court ended up awarding the plaintiffs treble damages. Alex Veiga, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar. 2024 Deputy District Attorney Jessica Coto said Angel Velasquez Salgado, the defendant in December’s fatal crash, sped away from police around 6:15 p.m., prompting a chase that spanned about 5 miles on surface streets and two freeways. Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Mar. 2024 The next step is for plaintiffs’ attorneys and attorneys for the defendants to choose five potential people to serve as special master. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 Each of the defendants entered pleas of not guilty to all of their charges. Robert Anglen, The Arizona Republic, 16 Mar. 2024 The majority opinion, written by Justice Elena Kagan, concluded that a criminal defendant must meet a series of criminal history conditions to qualify for relief. Abbie Vansickle, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 The chemical and rail car companies remain defendants in a class-action lawsuit filed by East Palestine residents, so they still may eventually be held partly responsible for the derailment. Josh Funk, The Enquirer, 8 Mar. 2024 An attorney representing Lord's parents spoke about Lord at each defendant's initial appearance. Robert Anglen, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 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 Pattis did not explain what defendants hope to learn from Trump, only that he was joined in the subpoena effort by attorneys for co-defendant Dominic Pezzola. Rachel Weiner, Anchorage Daily News, 17 Feb. 2023 Calland notes that Adams and co-defendant Tenquarius Mender had asked for separate trials last year — and prosecutors fought them on it. Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2023 But to everyone's surprise, and Weston's delight, since Ramirez's statements also implicated her co-defendant Butler, the judge ruled the entire interview inadmissible. Gayane Keshishyan Mendez, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2023 Co-defendant Ryoo was convicted of second-degree murder and other crime and sentenced to 15 years to life plus 50 years in state prison. Staff Writer follow, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defendant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English defendaunt, borrowed from Anglo-French defendant, diffendaunt, noun derivative from present participle of defendre "to defend"

Adjective

Middle English defendaunt, from Anglo-French defendant, present participle of defendre "to defend"

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defendant was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near defendant

Cite this Entry

“Defendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defendant. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

defendant

noun
de·​fend·​ant
di-ˈfen-dənt
: a person who is being sued or accused in a legal action

Legal Definition

defendant

noun
de·​fen·​dant di-ˈfen-dənt, -ˌdant How to pronounce defendant (audio)
: the party against whom a criminal or civil action is brought see also answer, codefendant compare accused, plaintiff
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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