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What is a thesis defense defending dissertation.

You’re reading this article because you probably have an upcoming thesis defense. Maybe you’ve worked hard for years or months, and now that moment for wrapping things up is finally here. Whether you want to defend a thesis for a doctorate or master’s degree, you’re about to take that final step.

But, you must research extensively and prepare for the final presentation. As the content for your thesis is vital, so is your presentation. A stunning design with text hierarchy and precise data plays a crucial role in your thesis comprehension. This article answers the question, what is thesis defense? It goes ahead to explain the process of defending dissertation.

Any student that doesn’t know how to defend a thesis or even prepare for the presentation will find this article helpful. Reading this article will let you know what a dissertation or thesis defense is and how to prepare for it.

What Is A Thesis Defense?

Defending a thesis is presenting your research work to a professors’ panel to grade your presentation abilities. Also, your argument during the presentation ascertains that you understood your research topic. But, you must submit your thesis or dissertation first so that your lecturer can grade it before your defense presentation.

Most students want to know what defending thesis means after or when about to complete their graduate degrees. In most countries, writing a thesis is a vital part of finishing a graduate degree. Generally, a thesis or a dissertation is a significant paper related to the student’s study field. After handing in a thesis, the professor or lecturer assigns the learner the data for defending their work.

A thesis defense presentation occurs during a meeting comprising a committee of at least two professors and the student. The professors belong to the student’s program. Also, the session can include professionals from other learning institutions or experts in the student’s study field. The meeting attendees ask the students some questions about their work to understand their focus area and field.

Usually, these questions are open-minded, requiring the learner to think about the work critically. Since the student submits the paper for evaluation before the presentation, the panel already understands the work. But the board doesn’t design the questions to require the student to defend their work aggressively. In most cases, this procedure is a formality for getting a degree.

What Is The Purpose Of Dissertation Defense?

The thesis or dissertation defense aims to achieve two things.

First, it provides a presentation occasion and recognition of the accomplished doctoral work. Second, it presents a chance for formal evaluation and discussion of your thesis.

Ideally, the purpose of the dissertation defense is to assess the completed research work’s merits and the doctoral candidate’s ability to explain or interpret their research outcomes and implications. After the dissertation committee chair deems the paper ready for a defense, they allow the student to schedule their presentation meeting.

The student contacts the committee members to identify the time and date acceptable to them. Also, the learner secures the conference room for the presentation and serves all committee members with copies of the thesis.

What Does It Mean To Defend A Thesis Successfully?

The requirements of a dissertation defense process vary from one learning institution to another. However, a successful defense entails presenting the main argument to the dissertation committee or academic faculty with primary points evidence.

A good defense must have clear and convincing logic lending credence to the primary concept that the body of the paper advances. For instance, if your thesis argues that consuming meat is unethical, you may present arguments about animal abuse cruelty from farms and factories to make your claim legitimate.

How Long Is A Thesis Defense?

At this point, you’re no longer bothered by the question, what does it mean to defend your dissertation? However, you want to know your presentation or defense duration. The duration of a dissertation presentation or defense depends on the degree requirements and the institution.

Perhaps, the best way to know the duration your presentation should take is to consult your institution or department. But a dissertation defense takes 20 minutes in most cases, though it can take up to two or more hours. Also, the presentation duration and the number of questions the committee has for the candidate will influence this duration.

What’s more, the nature of your thesis will determine the duration of its defense. For instance, a master’s thesis takes longer to defend than a bachelor’s thesis. Nevertheless, your defense should fit the introduction, literature review, findings, and more time structuring the presentation. Therefore, take adequate time to prepare for the session. All in all, several factors, including your academic field and paper, determine the duration of the session.

How To Prepare For A Thesis Defense

Adequate preparation is among the best tips for ensuring a successful dissertation defense. Therefore, ensure that you understand the content of your thesis and the questions to expect from the dissertation panel. Also, ensure that you have a timetable showing the chronology of the presentation day.

The dissertation committee expects you to keep time because if you delay, you may have to wait for the next time the panel will allocate your defense. Additionally, make sure that you’ve handed in your thesis at least a month before the defense date.

How To Prepare For Thesis Defense In Six Steps

The end of a graduate degree might seem far away when starting. However, it comes up faster than most learners think. Perhaps, that’s because working on a thesis is a lot of work. What’s more, you have to master the content of your paper to ensure a successful defense. Additionally, decide the best way to present and defend your thesis. For instance, select the defense template, theme, and structure. After that, follow these steps from our best academic editing help and thesis writers to prepare a successful dissertation defense.

• Anticipate and prepare to answer all questions: Read and understand its content after writing a thesis. Also, list down potential questions to expect from the dissertation committee. You can even look for academic experts to advise you on the possible focus area for the committee members. Use your questions to gather relevant information in readiness for the presentation.
• Dress appropriately: A dissertation defense is a formal occasion comprising top-ranking members of your academic department. It’s like a passage rite for the graduate and the faculty that supported them. Although the university might not have specific dressing rules for this event, think about it with respect and dignity. Ideally, dress like you’re going for a job interview.
• Seek assistance: You will be busy preparing for your defense several days before the event’s date. Therefore, entrusting some tasks to reliable people might help. For instance, you can delegate tasks like conference room preparation and presentation equipment setup to a trustworthy person.
• Prepare a backup plan:  Thesis oral defense requires technological equipment. And technology can fail you. For instance, a PowerPoint presentation may not look as expected. It might even not work at all. Therefore, prepare a plan B by anticipating such eventualities. For example, you can have handouts ready, just in case technology fails.
• Prepare for tough questions: Most students are scared about professors asking questions they can’t answer. Although you can anticipate some questions, you won’t know the exact things the panel will want to see from you. However, defending your thesis is not about answering every question correctly and perfectly. Therefore, understand that the board doesn’t expect you to know everything.
• Learn to deal with your anxiety: It’s normal to be anxious or feel nervous when defending your thesis. However, prepare to minimize your stress. Also, understand that the committee will repeat questions if necessary. Most importantly, take time to process every question and respond confidently.

Follow these tips, and you will be ready for the defense when the day comes. But the essential thing is to master the content of your paper and anticipate questions that the committee might ask.

How To Start A Thesis Defense Presentation

Once you have everything ready for the presentation, follow these steps to start your dissertation defense presentation.

• Welcome the audience: Start by welcoming and connecting with the audience. Don’t use information or inappropriate language. Instead, be natural and approachable to your audience. Also, thank your audience for attending your defense presentation.
• Introduce yourself: Tell the audience your name and a brief description of your occupation and background.
• Explain your reason for doing your thesis: Explain what prompted you to further connect with the audience. Ensure that your motives are professional, though they can be personal, denoting your closeness to the project.
• Delve into your thesis: Start the actual defense presentation by explaining every part.

Practical Thesis Defense Tips: How To Do It

After starting defending your thesis, delve deeper into the oral presentation of your work using appropriate sound equipment and visual aids. Follow this format to present your dissertation.

Introduction: Explain why the study was necessary Literature review: Tell the committee about the findings of other scholars on your subject or topic. Research methodology: Explain the research methods you used in your study and why. Findings: Explain your research findings to the committee. Discussion: Discuss your findings and deductions. Implications, suggestions, limitations, and conclusions: Explain the impact of your study, setbacks, and findings. Also, suggest a path for future studies on the topic or subject. Answer questions: The committee members will ask you questions and expect you to respond. Leave the room: After presenting your defense and answering the committee’s questions, you can leave the room to allow the panelists to deliberate. Come back to the room: The committee will invite you back after the deliberations. The supervisor will share the committee’s decision with you.

The student receives all written work copies after the oral examination. Remember to observe dissertation defense etiquette even if the committee asks questions that deem unnecessary to you. Be polite, formal, and composed throughout the presentation.

Get Professional Thesis Writing Help

You can’t defend a thesis before writing it. However, you might lack adequate time to select a unique thesis topic, research it, and write a custom paper, and of course, buy dissertation online . That’s where our experts come in. We’re a professional team of academic writers helping learners write a quality thesis, defend them, and score the top marks. Our knowledgeable thesis specialists can also provide vital advice or guide you through the defense process.

If stuck with a dissertation or unsure about the defense process, our native writers can help you. We offer cheap and efficient academic writing services online 24/7. Contact us today!

How long is a thesis paper?

The length of your thesis will depend on your faculty, department, or study field. However, a bachelor’s thesis is usually 40 to 60 pages long. On the other hand, a master’s thesis ranges between 60 and 100 pages. A Ph.D. thesis has an average of 204 pages.

Nevertheless, the actual words for a Ph.D. thesis depend on the university and the subject. That’s because most learning institutions set the length requirements. Learning institutions set the minimum length and not the maximum word count or page number in most cases. Therefore, ask the supervisor about your paper’s length before learning how to defend your dissertation.

How long is a thesis defense?

The dissertation defense duration depends on the technicality of the paper and the degree that a student is pursuing. An undergraduate degree’s defense can last an hour, while a master’s degree defense can take one and a half hours. A Ph.D. degree defense can last two or more hours.

What happens during a thesis or dissertation defense?

The professors allocate the students time for their presentation or defense. After that, the panelists will ask questions, and the student will answer. The committee requests the student to summarize their study deductions in some cases

Reference management. Clean and simple.

How to prepare an excellent thesis defense

• What is a thesis defense?

If you're about to complete, or have ever completed a graduate degree, you have most likely come across the term "thesis defense." In many countries, to finish a graduate degree, you have to write a thesis .

A thesis is a large paper, or multi-chapter work, based on a topic relating to your field of study.

Once you hand in your thesis, you will be assigned a date to defend your work. Your thesis defense meeting usually consists of you and a committee of two or more professors working in your program. It may also include other people, like professionals from other colleges or those who are working in your field.

During your thesis defense, you will be asked questions about your work. The main purpose of your thesis defense is for the committee to make sure that you actually understand your field and focus area.

The questions are usually open-ended and require the student to think critically about their work. By the time of your thesis defense, your paper has already been evaluated. The questions asked are not designed so that you actually have to aggressively "defend" your work; often, your thesis defense is more of a formality required so that you can get your degree.

• Check with your department about requirements and timing.
• Re-read your thesis.
• Anticipate questions and prepare for them.
• Create a back-up plan to deal with technology hiccups.
• Plan de-stressing activities both before, and after, your defense.
• How long is a thesis defense?

How long your oral thesis defense is depends largely on the institution and requirements of your degree. It is best to consult your department or institution about this. In general, a thesis defense may take only 20 minutes, but it may also take two hours or more. The length also depends on how much time is allocated to the presentation and questioning part.

Tip: Check with your department or institution as soon as possible to determine the approved length for a thesis defense.

• What happens at a thesis defense?

First of all, be aware that a thesis defense varies from country to country. This is just a general overview, but a thesis defense can take many different formats. Some are closed, others are public defenses. Some take place with two committee members, some with more examiners.

The same goes for the length of your thesis defense, as mentioned above. The most important first step for you is to clarify with your department what the structure of your thesis defense will look like. In general, your thesis defense will include:

• your presentation of around 20-30 minutes
• questions from the committee
• questions from the audience (if the defense is public and the department allows it)

Your presentation

You might have to give a presentation, often with Powerpoint, Google slides, or Keynote slides. Make sure to prepare an appropriate amount of slides. A general rule is to use about 10 slides for a 20-minute presentation.

But that also depends on your specific topic and the way you present. The good news is that there will be plenty of time ahead of your thesis defense to prepare your slides and practice your presentation alone and in front of friends or family.

Tip: Practice delivering your thesis presentation in front of family, friends, or colleagues.

You can prepare your slides by using information from your thesis' first chapter (the overview of your thesis) as a framework or outline. Substantive information in your thesis should correspond with your slides.

Make sure your slides are of good quality— both in terms of the integrity of the information and the appearance. If you need more help with how to prepare your presentation slides, both the ASQ Higher Education Brief and James Hayton have good guidelines on the topic.

Questions from the committee

The committee will ask questions about your work after you finish your presentation. The questions will most likely be about the core content of your thesis, such as what you learned from the study you conducted. They may also ask you to summarize certain findings and to discuss how your work will contribute to the existing body of knowledge.

Tip: Read your entire thesis in preparation of the questions, so you have a refreshed perspective on your work.

While you are preparing, you can create a list of possible questions and try to answer them. You can foresee many of the questions you will get by simply spending some time rereading your thesis.

• 6 tips to help you prepare for your thesis defense

Here are a few tips on how to prepare for your thesis defense:

1. Anticipate questions and prepare for them

You can absolutely prepare for most of the questions you will be asked. Read through your thesis and while you're reading it, create a list of possible questions. In addition, since you will know who will be on the committee, look at the academic expertise of the committee members. In what areas would they most likely be focused?

If possible, sit at other thesis defenses with these committee members to get a feel for how they ask and what they ask. As a graduate student, you should generally be adept at anticipating test questions, so use this advantage to gather as much information as possible before your thesis defense meeting.

2. Dress for success

Your thesis defense is a formal event, often the entire department or university is invited to participate. It signals a critical rite of passage for graduate students and faculty who have supported them throughout a long and challenging process.

While most universities don't have specific rules on how to dress for that event, do regard it with dignity and respect. This one might be a no-brainer, but know that you should dress as if you were on a job interview or delivering a paper at a conference.

3. Ask for help, as needed

It might help you deal with your stress before your thesis defense to entrust someone with the smaller but important responsibilities of your defense well ahead of schedule. This trusted person could be responsible for:

• preparing the room of the day of defense
• setting up equipment for the presentation
• preparing and distributing handouts

4. Have a backup plan

Technology is unpredictable. Life is too. There are no guarantees that your Powerpoint presentation will work at all or look the way it is supposed to on the big screen. We've all been there. Make sure to have a plan B for these situations. Handouts can help when technology fails, and an additional clean shirt can save the day if you have a spill.

5. Prepare for the possibility that you might not know an answer

One of the scariest aspects of the defense is the possibility of being asked a question you can't answer. While you can prepare for some questions, you can never know exactly what the committee will ask.

There will always be gaps in your knowledge. But your thesis defense is not about being perfect and knowing everything, it's about how you deal with challenging situations. You are not expected to know everything.

James Hayton writes on his blog that examiners will sometimes even ask questions they don't know the answer to, out of curiosity, or because they want to see how you think. While it is ok sometimes to just say "I don't know", he advises to try something like "I don't know, but I would think [...] because of x and y, but you would need to do [...] in order to find out.” This shows that you have the ability to think as an academic.

6. De-stress before, during, and after

You will be nervous. But your examiners will expect you to be nervous. Being well prepared can help minimize your stress, but do know that your examiners have seen this many times before and are willing to help, by repeating questions, for example. Dora Farkas at finishyourthesis.com notes that it’s a myth that thesis committees are out to get you.

Two common symptoms of being nervous are talking really fast and nervous laughs. Try to slow yourself down and take a deep breath. Remember what feels like hours to you are just a few seconds in real life.

• Try meditational breathing right before your defense.
• Get plenty of exercise and sleep in the weeks prior to your defense.
• Have your clothes or other items you need ready to go the night before.
• During your defense, allow yourself to process each question before answering.
• Go to dinner with friends and family, or to a fun activity like mini-golf, after your defense.

Allow yourself to process each question, respond to it, and stop talking once you have responded. While a smile can often help dissolve a difficult situation, remember that nervous laughs can be irritating for your audience.

We all make mistakes and your thesis defense will not be perfect. However, careful preparation, mindfulness, and confidence can help you feel less stressful both before, and during, your defense.

Finally, consider planning something fun that you can look forward to after your defense.

• Frequently Asked Questions about preparing an excellent thesis defense

It is completely normal to be nervous. Being well prepared can help minimize your stress, but do know that your examiners have seen this many times before and are willing to help, by repeating questions for example if needed. Slow yourself down, and take a deep breath.

Your thesis defense is not about being perfect and knowing everything, it's about how you deal with challenging situations. James Hayton writes on his blog that it is ok sometimes to just say "I don't know", but he advises to try something like "I don't know, but I would think [...] because of x and y, you would need to do [...] in order to find out".

Your Powerpoint presentation can get stuck or not look the way it is supposed to do on the big screen. It can happen and your supervisors know it. In general, handouts can always save the day when technology fails.

• Dress for success.
• Ask for help setting up.
• Have a backup plan (in case technology fails you).
• Deal with your nerves.
• Related Articles

What is a Thesis Defense?

If you're researching a master's degree, you'll likely come across the phrase "thesis defense" among the list of requirements for earning an advanced degree. This formal-sounding requirement usually comes at the end of a graduate program. As a student seeking a master's degree, your thesis defines your educational experience at the university. Once you've completed all the necessary coursework and finished any internship or practicum experiences, you will be required to meet with a committee to defend your work. Details of a defense vary by college, but there are some general things to keep in mind as you embark on the graduate process.

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What is a Thesis?

In most schools, the  thesis  represents a student's collective understanding of his or her program and major. Students who major in English, for example, typically explore language, literary themes, a specific author's work or a similar topic when writing a thesis paper. Universities often require theses to consist of a prospectus, which outlines the intent of the paper, and a full-length paper treatment of a particular topic. In the natural sciences, theses might cover experiments or hypothetical situations in which a student researches certain elements of his or her field.

Theses projects demand full attention, and many schools require that students devote an entire semester to completing the research and resulting paper. Students work with a faculty committee or adviser on a close basis to make sure that the research stays on schedule. Depending on the level of degree, a thesis paper can be extremely complex.

Defending the Work

Once students submit their theses papers to the thesis committee, they will be assigned a date to defend their work. In this case, "defend" does not imply that a student will have to argue aggressively about his or her work. Rather, the thesis defense is designed so that faculty members can ask questions and make sure that students actually understand their field and focus area. Defending a thesis largely serves as a formality because the paper will already have been evaluated. During a defense, a student will be asked questions by members of the thesis committee. Questions are usually open-ended and require that the student think critically about his or her work. A defense might take only 20 minutes, or it might take an hour or more depending on the goal of the committee and the requirements of the program.

Preparation for Your Thesis Defense

Students have months to  prepare for a defense . Schools want graduate candidates to be as prepared as possible when attending a defense, which means that neither the date nor faculty committee will be a surprise to the student. It's important to keep in mind that if you go into a defense with the right attitude and preparation, failing is nearly impossible. The committee wants to see how well you know your subject and your research. Nerves may get the better of you as you face unknown questions, but as with a job interview, practicing ahead of time will lead to a successful defense.

Facing a defense can be stressful, but think of it as an opportunity to share what you've learned. Remember that you aren't arguing points when you defend your work. Instead, a proper thesis defense gives you and your faculty advisers the chance to discuss your topic and research in greater detail.

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synonyms for defend

• countenance
• rationalize
• apologize for
• be answerable for
• do justice to
• make allowances
• speak in favor
• stand up for

See also synonyms for: defendable defended defender defending undefendable

antonyms for defend

Most relevant

• incriminate

Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

How to use defend in a sentence

None of that happens so long as the party willing to harbor and defend a demagogue who threatens the republic stands in the way.

The scene was fitting, given that the shine of adding the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner to the defending World Series champions obscured the picture of exactly what the Dodgers are getting in the enigmatic right-hander.

The Hogan administration has defended its decentralized system as critical to building an infrastructure that can ramp up when the federal government delivers more doses.

Throughout the panel, those involved with the Oversight Board defended the project.

To suddenly shut them down would trigger legal actions the city can neither afford nor defend .

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

During coverage of that issue, Farrell went on a WSMB AM radio talk show to defend Duke.

When our elected representatives assume their respective offices, they take an oath to “protect and defend the Constitution.”

“Once we get to the point of being able to defend the case, then the thing can move forward,” he told the Beast.

Which politician wants to defend federally-subsidized abortions for convicted criminals?

After we had passed over this desert, we found several garisons to defend the caravans from the violence of the Tartars.

Decide about it, ye that are learned in the ethnographic distinctions of our race—but heaven defend us from the Bourbonnaises!

Later on, I believe, a child is wont to have his favourite colour, and to be ready to defend it against the preferences of others.

Learn to do well: seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge for the fatherless, defend the widow.

The victims were unable to defend themselves or escape by flight, and the slaughter was terrible.

Choose the synonym for platform

Words Related To defend

• acknowledge
• subscribe to
• take an oath

acknowledges

• subscribes to
• takes an oath
• be in corner
• campaign for
• get on bandwagon
• give a leg up
• give a lift
• go to bat for
• ride shotgun for
• run interference for
• spread around
• countenances
• gets on bandwagon
• gives a leg up
• gives a lift
• goes to bat for
• runs interference for
• spreads around
• arguing for
• building up
• championing
• countenancing
• encouraging
• getting on bandwagon
• giving a leg up
• giving a lift
• going to bat for
• holding with
• pleading for
• recommending
• running interference for
• speaking for
• spreading around
• vindicating
• answer back
• back at you
• be in touch
• counterclaim
• field the question
• get back at
• get back to
• give a snappy comeback
• Synonyms For
• Antonyms For
• Related Words

What is a Thesis Defense?

Completing a graduate degree in the United States often requires the creation of a thesis, and many schools also require that students go through a thesis defense. This gives you the chance to show that you know and fully understand your topic and all facts and ideas relating to your topic. Graduate schools often give students one year or more to write and work on their thesis paper or project. As you work on your thesis, you'll also want to give some thought to what happens when you defend it in front of others.

What is a Thesis?

The completion of a thesis is one of the last things that you will do in graduate school. Though some schools offer a non-thesis degree program, these programs often require that you spend even more time in school or in an internship or residency program. A thesis is generally a large paper that you write based on a topic relating to your field of study. Some schools let you create a thesis project in lieu of a paper. History majors might write papers on the historical ramifications of World War II, while an education major might complete a project on new teaching methods.

The Defense Process

Once you finish your thesis, you may attend a thesis defense meeting. This usually consists of you and two or more professors working in your program. It may also include professionals from other nearby colleges or those currently working in the field. They will look at your research and ask you a series of questions about your paper or project. You must fully answer those questions and demonstrate what you learned while completing your work. Most schools require that you finish defending your thesis before leaving with your degree.

Who is on the Panel?

The school can select anyone to appear on the panel, but colleges will usually not allow any professor who worked closely with you to take part in the defense. The advisor who approved your thesis topic and any professors who helped you cannot generally take part. If your topic covers multiple subjects, the university may ask professors from other departments to attend the session. For example, if you wrote a paper on how certain fashions appeared as the result of stock market crashes, professors working in the economics, history and fashion departments may work on the panel.

Types of Questions

According to  James Hayton , a PhD holder, those on the defense panel will often ask you questions about the core content in your paper. If your paper focuses on alternative teaching methods, they might ask you how one method may impact scores on standardized tests. You can prepare yourself for those questions when you read through your thesis multiple times, create a list of possible questions and practice answering those questions. If you aren't sure how to respond to a specific question, think about how your research connects to the question and explain what you think is the right answer.

Your thesis is the culmination of your studies and should demonstrate some of the experience and skills you gained in that program. After writing your thesis, your college may require that you defend your work in front of a panel of experts and complete a thesis defense before graduating.

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of defend in English

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defend verb ( PROTECT )

• The general rallied his forces to defend the town .
• Police officers used riot shields to defend themselves.
• A female lion defends her young ferociously .
• In the past, the party would have closed ranks around its leader and defended him loyally .
• Should the church always defend traditional values , or be open to changing them?
• anti-mosquito
• foot patrol
• have (got) someone's back idiom
• splashproof
• stand/keep guard phrase

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

defend verb ( IN LAW )

• admissibility
• contributory negligence
• extrajudicial
• extrajudicially
• fatal accident inquiry
• federal case
• power of attorney
• the Webster ruling
• witness to something

defend verb ( IN SPORT )

• bring someone on
• flying start
• go the distance idiom
• park the bus idiom
• play big idiom
• play sb on idiom

defend | American Dictionary

Defend verb ( sports ), defend | business english, examples of defend, translations of defend.

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a structure like a net of sticky silk threads made by a spider for catching insects

Have you come far? Chatting to someone you don’t know (2)

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• defend (PROTECT)
• defend (IN LAW)
• defend (IN SPORT)
• defend (SPORTS)
• Business    Verb
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Definition of defend

transitive verb

intransitive verb

defend , protect , shield , guard , safeguard mean to keep secure from danger or against attack.

defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure.

shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

synonyms see in addition maintain

Examples of defend in a Sentence

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

Word History

Middle English defenden, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French defendre, defender, going back to Latin dēfendere "to ward off, fend off, repel danger from, protect," from dē- de- + -fendere, presumably, "to strike, hit" (unattested without prefixes), going back to Indo-European *g wh en-d h -, extended determinate form of *g wh en-, *g wh n- "strike, kill," whence Hittite kuenzi "(s/he) kills," kunanzi "(they) kill," Sanskrit hánti "(s/he) strikes, kills," ghnánti "(they) strike, kill," Greek theínein "to strike," épethnon "(I) killed," Old Irish gonaid "(s/he) pierces, wounds, kills," Welsh gwan- "stab, pierce," Lithuanian genù, giñti "to drive (cattle, etc.)," Old Church Slavic ženǫ, gŭnati "to drive, chase out, expel"; also, from nominal derivative *g wh on-, Greek phónos "bloodshed, murder," and from *g wh ń̥-tih 2 , Germanic *gunþī, *gunþjō, whence Old English gūþ "battle, combat," Old Saxon gūđea, Old High German gund-, Old Icelandic gunnr, guðr

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

Dictionary Entries Near defend

Cite this entry.

“Defend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defend. Accessed 4 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of defend, legal definition, legal definition of defend, more from merriam-webster on defend.

Nglish: Translation of defend for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of defend for Arabic Speakers

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Defending master’s thesis

• Thread starter arturolczykowski
• Start date Oct 7, 2022

arturolczykowski

Senior member.

• Oct 7, 2022

Hi, In Poland „defending a master’s thesis” is often a synonym of „getting a university degree”. So, some people would say for example „After defending my engineering thesis, I started working at „Company” as a software tester”. Would it be acceptable in English speaking countries?  

Mód ar líne

It's grammatically ok but it doesn't work for a masters, nor does it necessarily mean what you suggest. Here, we only defend PhD theses, not masters. You can also defend a PhD and not pass, so it doesn't mean the same as "after getting my PhD".  

entangledbank

No, defending the thesis is the specific process of arguing it in front of people. If this is successful, you get your degree.  

arturolczykowski said: In Poland „defending a master’s thesis” is often a synonym of „getting a university degree”. Click to expand...

Yeah, I get what you mean. Would it change anything if I add „successfully”? After I successfully defended my engineering thesis, I started working at „Company” as a software tester”?  

dojibear said: Do you mean "master's thesis" or "undergraduate thesis"? In the US, there are 3 levels of university degrees: - Bachelor's Degree (BA or BS) = college graduation (often 4 years) - Master's Degree (MA or MS) = further study after graduation (often 2 years) - Doctorate (Ph.D) = further study after a Master's degree (often several years) In all 3 cases, a thesis may be a requirement. But you might finish the thesis (including the spoken "defense") and still have other requirements to complete. The thesis is not always the last requirement. And there are Click to expand...

Moderato con anima (English Only)

The oral defence of a thesis is often called a viva (usually pronounced /ˈvaɪ.və/), so you can talk about 'passing my viva' if you like. Vivas are required for PhD theses in the UK, and are sometimes held for Masters level theses or dissertations as well.  

• Oct 8, 2022

natkretep said: The oral defence of a thesis is often called a viva (usually pronounced /ˈvaɪ.və/), so you can talk about 'passing my viva' if you like. Vivas are required for PhD theses in the UK, and are sometimes held for Masters level theses or dissertations as well. Click to expand...

After I successfully defended my engineering thesis, I started working at „Company” as a software tester”. vs. After I got my Master’s Degree in engineering, I started working at „Company as a software tester.  

JulianStuart

arturolczykowski said: After I successfully defended my engineering thesis, I started working at „Company” as a software tester”. vs. After I got my Master’s Degree in engineering, I started working at „Company as a software tester. Click to expand...

arturolczykowski said: I know that. What I don’t know is would anyone use this kind of language instead of simply saying „After I got my (Master’s) Degree…”? Click to expand...

JulianStuart said: If the speaker wanted to communicate that the defence was tough. You could also "omit" "in engineering' or "as a softwware tester". It all depends on what you want to communicate. Click to expand...

arturolczykowski said: It doesn’t sound right to me. Click to expand...

arturolczykowski said: even after changing it to “After I successfully defended my engineering thesis, I started working ….”. It doesn’t sound right to me. I would stick to “After I got my Master’s Degree in engineering, I started working…” but some well educated but non native teachers of English told me that it’s ok Click to expand...

Moderator: EHL, Arabic, Hebrew, German(-Spanish)

The sentence is definitely not how one would normally communicate that one received a master's degree: for that, the mention of the thesis defence is unnecessary information. However, the sentence would be fine in some much rarer contexts. As part of a conversation about someone who initially did not defend successfully but was allowed to revise the text and defend again, and the second time was successful. In that situation, the topic of the defence could be as relevant as "engineering" or "company".  

If you are in a country where Master's theses are defended (which is not the case in the US) and if the Master's thesis defense is a difficult and stressful hurdle (whether you pass it the first time or fail and have to re-defend it) I think it would be fine in context. The context could be something like the following: "I knew my thesis defense for my Master's would be difficult. The topic was controversial and I was afraid that I was not sufficiently eloquent to make my case for my desalinization model. I had been grateful that Professor Kutt-Throte was not on my committee, because he was a lifelong rival of my advisor and was highly skeptical of everything that came out of my advisor's lab. My worst fears were realized when Professor Bouquet, who had been my supporter all along, became gravely ill and had to take a medical leave of absence. The department chair filled his place on the committee by appointing Kutt-Throte. ... [description of the defense itself] ... After I successfully defended my engineering thesis, I started working ... "  

arturolczykowski said: Would it be acceptable in English speaking countries? Click to expand...

Related Words and Phrases

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synonym for defend thesis

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Synonyms of defend.

• as in to protect
• as in to justify
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Thesaurus Definition of defend

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stand up for

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stick up for

Synonym Chooser

How is the word defend different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of defend are guard , protect , safeguard , and shield . While all these words mean "to keep secure from danger or against attack," defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

When is guard a more appropriate choice than defend ?

The meanings of guard and defend largely overlap; however, guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

When would protect be a good substitute for defend ?

The synonyms protect and defend are sometimes interchangeable, but protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure.

When might safeguard be a better fit than defend ?

Although the words safeguard and defend have much in common, safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

Where would shield be a reasonable alternative to defend ?

The words shield and defend are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

Thesaurus Entries Near defend

defects (from)

Cite this Entry

“Defend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defend. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.

More from Merriam-Webster on defend

Nglish: Translation of defend for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of defend for Arabic Speakers

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synonyms for thesis

• proposition
• supposition
• contestation
• postulation
• presumption
• presupposition

antonyms for thesis

Most relevant

Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

How to use thesis in a sentence

“The Saudis have been proving the thesis of the film — they do in fact have an army,” said Thor Halvorssen, founder and chief executive of the nonprofit Human Rights Foundation, which funded the movie.

It’s a hypothesis that Bush pursued in her master’s thesis , and last year she began attending virtual Goth parties in a final round of field work before defending her doctoral thesis later this year.

While this partnership was planned prior to the coronavirus outbreak, co-founder Jordana Kier said the pandemic instantly proved out the expansion thesis .

They’ve had to defend that thesis for a very, very long time in front of a variety of different customers and different people.

Over the past decade, In-Q-Tel has been one of the most active investors in the commercial space sector, with a broad investment thesis that touches many aspects of the sector.

In “Back Home,” Gil also revisits the nostalgia for the South explored in his Johns Hopkins thesis , “Circle of Stone.”

At least father and son were in alignment on this central thesis : acting “gay”—bad; being thought of as gay—bad.

Her doctoral thesis , says Ramin Takloo at the University of Illinois, was simply outstanding.

Marshall McLuhan long ago argued the now accepted thesis that different mediums have different influences on thinking.

He wrote his Master's thesis  on the underrepresentation of young people in Congress.

And indeed for most young men a college thesis is but an exercise for sharpening the wits, rarely dangerous in its later effects.

It will be for the reader to determine whether the main thesis of the book has gained or lost by the new evidence.

But the word thesis , when applied to Systems, does not mean the 'position' of single notes, but of groups of notes.

This conclusion, it need hardly be said, is in entire agreement with the main thesis of the preceding pages.

Sundry outlying Indians, with ammunition to waste, took belly and knee rests and strengthened the thesis to the contrary.

Choose the synonym for spot

Words Related To thesis

• expectation
• understanding
• dissertation

composition

• arrangement
• literary work
• short story

compositions

• arrangements
• dissertations
• expositions
• literary works
• manuscripts
• short stories
• advancement
• affirmation
• asseveration
• declaration
• explanation
• maintaining
• predication
• communication
• conversation
• disquisition
• verbalization
• Synonyms For
• Antonyms For
• Related Words

What is another word for "thesis defense"? What is another word for thesis defense? Need synonyms for thesis defense? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead. Noun The final step in earning a doctorate: an oral examination in which the doctorand publicly defends his/her thesis to the examiners viva voce

Thesis Defence synonyms - 10 Words and Phrases for Thesis Defence synonyms antonyms definitions sentences thesaurus Parts of speech nouns defence diploma project defence of the graduate project n. # diploma , project diploma defence n. # diploma , project final research paper defence n. # diploma , project dissertation defense

Synonyms for THESIS: argument, contention, assertion, hypothesis, theory, guess, assumption, hunch; Antonyms of THESIS: fact, knowledge, assurance, certainty

Synonyms for DEFEND: protect, safeguard, guard, shield, fend, keep, secure, fence; Antonyms of DEFEND: attack, assault, assail, submit, overrun, beset, bombard, cave

belief, assumption to be tested Compare Synonyms On this page you'll find 90 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to thesis, such as: contention, hypothesis, opinion, premise, proposition, and supposition. Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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Thesis Defense: Basuhi Ravi

Quantifying barriers to recycling plastic packaging in the United States

Staggering statistics about plastic waste and attendant concerns have driven multi-stakeholder engagement from entrepreneurs searching for innovative technological solutions and companies pledging circular measures to nations setting ambitious recycling targets. Yet, recycling rates for plastics remain abysmally low (<8%). In this dissertation, I investigate why we don’t recycle more plastics and quantify barriers to better recycling outcomes through a supply-demand approach to estimate plastic waste recovery costs.   Recovery system architectures depend on geographic context. I examine plastic waste recovery in the United States, the world’s largest producer of both total and per capita plastic waste. Of the 38 Mt of post-consumer plastic waste generated by the US in 2021, approximately 42% can attributed to single-use plastic packaging. I probe two large-volume plastic packaging contexts: PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles and flexible packaging made of PE (polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene). I explore interactions between recycling policy, markets, and technologies and analyze the recycling system from various stakeholder perspectives. Demand for recycled PET has risen sharply due to policy and consumer pressures that target circularity. However, in the United States, PET bottle collection rates have not increased in a decade, and supply of recycled plastics is unable to meet rising demand. Therefore, in the PET bottle case study, I quantify the cost of supply-side policy push to increase recovery. I find that deposit return systems invite incentivized consumers into the recycled PET value chain and expanding such systems nationwide can be a cost-effective PET bottle recycling strategy if robust demand persists. I show that demand-side pressures in the form of recycled content mandates for PET bottles can reduce the net cost burden of recycling, improve PET bottle recycling rates to >80% (from 24%) and save 7.6 MtCO2eq per year. Unlike PET bottles, demand for mechanically recycled PE from flexible plastic packaging waste is low, but researchers are studying advanced recycling technologies to find pathways for diverting hard-to-recycle packaging formats from disposal. I survey advanced recycling methods proposed in literature and investigate the techno-economic potential for their market scalability. I find that large-volume products such as fuels or feedstock chemicals are limited by availability of plastic waste at low costs.  On the other hand, high-value end-uses such as fine chemicals are limited by process yields and a mismatch in scale of plastic waste generation and US chemicals consumption. Lastly, I discuss the petrochemicals value chain in the US and the role of displacement in realizing the expected environmental benefits of plastics recycling.

Thesis Advisor

Elsa A. Olivetti: Jerry McAfee (1940) Professor in Engineering, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, MIT

• Main content

The Japanese yen's plunge forces Tokyo to pull back on biggest defense build-up since World War II as US weapons get pricier

• A 10% drop in the yen since December has forced Japan to scale back defense spending, Reuters reported.
• The currency's decline has boosted the cost of US-made weapons that Japan plans to procure.
• In response, Japan is prioritizing frontline weapons and spending less on support systems.

Japan is scaling back plans for its largest military build-up since World War II, after weakness in the yen raised the cost of US-made defense equipment, sources told Reuters .

When the $320 billion budget plan was first announced in December, its estimated price tag was based on a 108 yen-to-dollar exchange rate, according to the report. But the currency has since slid more than 10%, dipping to 151 earlier this week. 

And because the defense ministry doesn't hedge against foreign-currency volatility, it must shoulder higher costs for top acquisition programs like the F-35 stealth fighter and Tomahawk cruise missile, the report said.

In response, Japan is prioritizing outlays on US-made frontline weapons that would be key in any conflict with China, sources told Reuters.

The tradeoff is less money for secondary equipment, such as support aircraft. For instance, an expected order of 34 twin-rotor Chinook transport helicopters was pared to 17 in next year's budget request, given that their cost rose by about 5 billion yen each. Around half the increase was due to the weak yen.

And the purchase of two ShinMaywa Industries US-2 seaplanes was also scrapped as the aircraft's price almost doubled from three years ago. 

The historic military build-up is in response to rising geopolitical tensions that require the US ally to prepare for any potential conflict with China. 

Meanwhile, the yen's plunge results from ultra-loose monetary policy in Japan, as record low yields in the country have pulled down its competitiveness against other global markets. That's as other central banks like the Federal Reserve have become more hawkish, making overseas assets more attractive.

Though the Bank of Japan has recently eased its yield curve control — a unique measure that restricted yields from climbing — analysts have suggested that this isn't enough. In a recent note, Deutsche Bank outlined that yen volatility will continue until the central bank lifts interest rates and sheds its quantitative easing campaign.

Since the start of this year, the yen has plunged 12% against the dollar.

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