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Defendants: meaning, definitions and examples

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defendants

 

[ dɪˈfɛndənts ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

legal

Persons, companies, or organizations against whom a legal action is brought.

Synonyms

accused, litigants, respondents.

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Word Description / Examples
defendants

Primarily used in legal contexts, specifically in criminal and civil cases, to refer to individuals being charged or sued. It does not carry a negative connotation by itself but is a formal legal term.

  • The defendants will appear in court next Tuesday.
  • The jury found the defendants not guilty.
accused

Used mainly in criminal cases to refer to someone who has been charged with a crime but has not yet been tried in court. This term can carry a negative connotation as it implies a suspicion of wrongdoing.

  • The accused will have a chance to present their alibi.
  • The accused claims they were not at the scene of the crime.
respondents

Commonly used in civil cases or surveys to refer to individuals who respond to declarations or petitions made against them. It can also be used in the context of polls and research, referring to people who provide answers or feedback.

  • The respondents must file their responses by the end of the month.
  • In the survey, respondents were asked about their buying habits.
litigants

Refers to the parties involved in a lawsuit, both the plaintiff and the defendant, in civil and legal disputes. It is a neutral legal term that can be used in general legal discussions.

  • The litigants agreed to settle the case out of court.
  • Both litigants presented strong arguments in court.

Examples of usage

  • The defendants in the case were found guilty of fraud.
  • The defendants claimed they were not aware of the consequences of their actions.

Translations

Translations of the word "defendants" in other languages:

🇵🇹 réus

🇮🇳 प्रतिवादी

🇩🇪 Angeklagte

🇮🇩 terdakwa

🇺🇦 підсудні

🇵🇱 oskarżeni

🇯🇵 被告

🇫🇷 défendeurs

🇪🇸 demandados

🇹🇷 sanıklar

🇰🇷 피고인

🇸🇦 المدعى عليهم

🇨🇿 obžalovaní

🇸🇰 obžalovaní

🇨🇳 被告

🇸🇮 obtoženi

🇮🇸 saksóknarar

🇰🇿 айыпталушылар

🇬🇪 ბრალდებულები

🇦🇿 təqsirləndirilənlər

🇲🇽 demandados

Etymology

The word 'defendants' originated from the Latin word 'defendere', which means 'to defend'. In legal terms, defendants refer to the individuals or entities who are being accused or sued in a court of law. The concept of defendants has been present in legal systems for centuries, evolving over time to ensure fair trials and justice for all parties involved.

See also: defence, defend, defendant, defended, defender, defenders, defending, defendingly, defense, defensive.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,105, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.