fend

1 of 2

verb

fended; fending; fends

transitive verb

1
: defend
2
: to keep or ward off : repel
often used with off
fend off an invader
3
dialectal British : to provide for : support

intransitive verb

1
dialectal British : to make an effort : struggle
2
a
: to try to get along without help : shift
had to fend for themselves
b
: to provide a livelihood

fend

2 of 2

noun

chiefly Scotland
: an effort or attempt especially for oneself

Examples of fend in a Sentence

Verb learned to use humor to fend herself from criticism
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The original creature slasher Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey movie featured a 6-foot Pooh and his sidekick Piglet going on a murderous rampage through the Hundred Acre Wood after being left to fend for themselves by Christopher Robin, only to go to feral. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2024 California utilities now switch off power lines when fire danger is highest — typically, in advance of wind storms during the annual dry season — leaving homeowners and businesses to fend for themselves. David R. Baker, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2024 At the same time, the Vietnam War sent home veterans who were struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and addictions, left to fend for themselves. Francine Kiefer, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Mar. 2024 For decades, mentally ill people have been left to fend for themselves. The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2024 Additionally, advocates said Black shelter residents at the site have been repeatedly discharged for minor incidents and left to fend for themselves on the street. Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2024 The film is based on the memoir of Holocaust survivor Maxwell Smart and dramatizes his childhood experience of having to fend for himself in the forests of Poland during World War II. Linda Chase, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2024 The Barnetts went so far as to have Natalia’s age legally changed, then left her alone in an apartment to fend for herself. Chris Vognar, Rolling Stone, 1 Jan. 2024 Cash seems to be a decent sort, still mourning his sister who died of a drug overdose and watching over his alcoholic brother-in-law Finney (Scott Haze, bringing the role surprising depths) and teenage niece Savannah (Chapel Oaks, Will Trent) who’s clearly learned to fend for herself. Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2024
Noun
Zach Edey finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds and Braden Smith made two free throws with 3.9 seconds left to help No. 3 Purdue fend off Maryland’s furious second-half charge for a 58-55 victory. Michael Marot, Baltimore Sun, 22 Jan. 2023 At least in Colombia, work to breed more resistant varietals or to study how cacao plants in the wild fend off pathogens has been limited. Lindzi Wessel, Discover Magazine, 27 Sep. 2018 The party is trying to protect a razor-thin majority in the Senate and fend of GOP advances in the House of Representatives. Ovetta Wiggins, Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2022 But in 2022 World Cup Qualifying, the two rivals have helped each other fend off other nations from stealing their automatic bids to the World Cup in Qatar. Drake Hills, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2022 Whether Gigi will be accepted back into the world of the whale or fend for herself in a hostile ocean after a year in the tame tanks of Sea World is a matter of conjecture. San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2022 Carr, who had over a dozen supporters speak at the meeting, said board members were lacking urgency in exploring major changes to better support students and fend of a plan by Republican lawmakers to dissolve the district. Rory Linnane, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2022 Experts say frictions are fueled by a U.S. fend-for-yourself model around caring for kids. Alia E. Dastagir, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2022 Rodriguez can be an incredibly inventive director of action, but the choreography of the scene where Boba, Fennec, and the two Gamorrean fend off the shield-bearing assassins is just okay. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fend.' 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

Verb

Middle English fenden, short for defenden "to defend"

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1721, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near fend

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

fend

verb
ˈfend
1
: to keep or ward off : repel sense 1
fend off an attack
2
: to try to get along without help
had to fend for themselves

More from Merriam-Webster on fend

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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