Defend
Defend verb - To drive danger or attack away from.
Usage example: a solemn oath to defend the mother country at any cost
Overrun
Overrun verb - To enter for conquest or plunder.
Usage example: waves of barbarians overran the Roman Empire during its long decline
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
- If you're trying desperately to defend a position, you don't want to be overrun by the soldiers you've already killed.
Source: Video Game / MAG -
They were the only ones who actually took the threat seriously and took steps to defend against it before their country was completely overrun.
Source: Literature / World War Z -
Call to Agriculture: Galloway ends up having to take a rifle and help defend the wounded troops when the battalion's HQ is overrun.
Source: Film / We Were Soldiers
Cite this Source
Overrun and Defend. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 22, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/defend/overrun
Defend & Overrun. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/defend/overrun>.
Overrun or Defend. 2016. Accessed July 22, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/defend/overrun.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "defend" and "overrun" have occurred on timeline