undefended

IPA/ˌʌndɪˈfendɪd/
IPA/ˌʌndɪˈfendɪd/

undefended — adjective

  • undefendedpositive
  • more undefendedcomparative
  • most undefendedsuperlative

1. not having walls, troops, or other measures to stop an enemy or threat from atta

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

not having walls, troops, or other measures to stop an enemy or threat from attacking; open to harm or damage.

Example

The northern border was left undefended after the army moved south.

undefended border — describing a vulnerable location

Villagers worried that their undefended coast could be raided at any time.

undefended + location (coast, village)

Common collocations
  • undefended border
  • undefended coast
  • undefended village
  • leave something undefended
  • undefended against attack
  • undefended position
Synonyms
  • unprotected

    more general; 'undefended' emphasises lack of active defence measures, while 'unprotected' can also mean lacking any safety gear or barrier.

  • vulnerable

    focuses on the result (easy to harm) rather than the absence of defence.

  • unguarded

    suggests a person or place without a guard watching over it; slightly less formal.

Antonyms
  • protected

    general opposite — having defence in place.

  • fortified

    specifically of places strengthened with walls, troops, or other military structures.

Common Mistakes

The building was left undefended from thieves.
The building was left undefended against thieves.
The usual preposition is 'against' (not 'from') when stating what the threat is.

2. in football, basketball, hockey, and similar sports, describing a goal or basket

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

in football, basketball, hockey, and similar sports, describing a goal or basket area that has no goalkeeper or defender to stop the other team from scoring.

Example

Sofia shot the ball into an undefended net and scored the winning point.

With two players injured, their defensive line was completely undefended.

undefended defensive line / goal / net in sports

Common collocations
  • undefended goal
  • undefended net
  • undefended basket
  • leave the goal undefended
  • catch [team] undefended
Synonyms
  • unguarded

    interchangeable in most sports contexts.

  • open

    broader term; an 'open goal' is the same as an undefended goal.

Antonyms
  • guarded

    having a defender or goalkeeper in position.

Usage Note

Common in sports commentary and match reports. Frequently pairs with 'goal', 'net', or 'basket' to describe a scoring opportunity.

3. of a person accused of a crime or a case being heard in court, having no lawyer

3.adjectiveC1
Definition

of a person accused of a crime or a case being heard in court, having no lawyer representing them or no legal arguments presented in their favour.

Example

The judge delayed the trial because the accused appeared in court undefended.

appear in court undefended — no legal representation

An undefended defendant may not understand the legal procedures clearly.

Common collocations
  • undefended defendant
  • undefended case
  • undefended divorce
  • appear undefended
  • leave [someone] undefended
  • go undefended
Synonyms
  • unrepresented

    more neutral legal term — simply means having no lawyer; 'undefended' carries a stronger implication of vulnerability.

Antonyms
  • represented

    having a lawyer or legal counsel.

  • defended

    having legal arguments made in one's favour.

Usage Note

Frequently used in the fixed phrase 'undefended case' or 'undefended defendant'. In most legal systems, an accused person has the right to legal representation; being undefended is an unusual situation that courts try to remedy.

Common Mistakes

The undefended lawyer failed to argue the case.
The undefended defendant had no lawyer to argue the case.
'Undefended' describes the accused person or the case, not the lawyer.

4. of a champion's status or trophy, not having been won back or challenged by a ri

4.adjectiveC1
Definition

of a champion's status or trophy, not having been won back or challenged by a rival since the current holder took it.

Example

The world champion went undefended for three seasons after retiring.

go undefended — title remains unchallenged

Kenji's title has remained undefended because no challenger has met the qualifying standard.

Common collocations
  • undefended title
  • undefended championship
  • undefended crown
  • undefended belt
  • go undefended
  • remain undefended
Synonyms
  • uncontested

    broader — can apply to any competition or election, not just sporting titles.

  • vacant

    different meaning — describes a title with no current holder, rather than a holder who has not defended it.

Antonyms
  • defended

    having had a match or competition to retain the title.

Usage Note

Usually appears with nouns such as 'title', 'crown', 'championship', or 'belt'. A title that is not defended may eventually be vacated or awarded to another competitor.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

While all four words describe a lack of safety, 'undefended' specifically implies the absence of active measures (walls, guards, legal counsel) meant to repel an identified threat. 'Unprotected' is broader: a phone without a screen protector is unprotected, but it would sound odd to call it undefended. 'Vulnerable' focuses on the resulting state of being easy to harm rather than the absence of a defence. 'Unguarded' suggests no watchperson is present, often temporarily. For example: 'The undefended fortress was quickly captured' (active defences missing); 'The unprotected laptop was stolen from the car' (no lock or alarm); 'Young birds are vulnerable to cats' (inherent weakness); 'He left his bag unguarded for a moment' (momentary lapse).

undefended ↗unprotected ↗vulnerable ↗unguarded

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • leave [something] undefended
  • go undefended
  • remain undefended
  • appear undefended

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in English from the prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') and the past participle 'defended', from Latin 'defendere' (to ward off, protect). The word has been used in military contexts since the 16th century and later extended to sports and law.

First known use

1564

1564, in the meaning defined above