DEFENDANTS Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

defendants

noun

plural of defendant

as in offenders

a person who is being sued or accused of a crime in a court of law The jury believed that the defendant was guilty.

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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 defendants The defendants’ decision not to question a witness did not amount to carrying out the agreements, the government argued, because the agreements did not require that action and the defendants had not withdrawn their pending motions. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026 Under Schrama's 11-page order, Mohammed and three co-defendants — Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak bin 'Atash, Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi, and Ali Abdul Aziz Ali — will stand trial starting on June 5, 2028. — Steve Gorman, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 On Wednesday, Steel suggested the text had nothing to do with the flights booked using one of his management company’s credit cards for the men charged as his co-defendants in the government’s first indictment. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026 Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Montana AG Austin Knudsen filed a motion with the Supreme Court seeking to have the antitrust suit thrown out, naming California and the 11 other states party to the Paramount lawsuit as defendants. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 The appeal was filed against defendants AMCO and the City of Mount Dora, which had previously rejected the project and then lost that fight in court. — James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026 Lastly, Sotheby’s joins the list of defendants for having auctioned the painting, initially estimated to sell for $1,500,000 to $2,000,000, and profiting from its distribution. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Co-defendants Nation Hutchinson, 24, his sister, and Nysaiah Hutchinson, 22, his brother, both of Gary, are charged with assisting a criminal and a misdemeanor. — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 He and his wife are also named as defendants in Clemishire's lawsuit, but do not appear to be affected by this most recent ruling. — Andrea Lucia, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defendants

Noun

Hisbah members also face widespread allegations of rights abuses in their enforcement operations, including subjecting offenders to dehumanizing punishments such as public beatings or shaming.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Its recent report says organized crime groups are increasingly involved in cultural-property theft, with offenders using tools like explosives and firearms.

— George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of offenders

Noun

Two suspects hit several businesses in the Fairfax District early Tuesday morning, with one suspect in police custody.

— Julie Sharp, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Deem fired his weapon at the suspects, but no injuries were reported, and the disturbance suspect has not been apprehended.

— Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 25 Nov. 2025

Definition of suspects

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“Defendants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defendants. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of defendants

noun

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