fend for

VERB

take care of

Synonyms

WEAK

eke out existence look after make do make provision for provide for stay alive subsist support survive sustain

Antonyms

WEAK

ignore neglect

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Animal experts said that if the otters - who have since been named Valentine and Juliet - had been left to fend for themselves much longer, they likely would have died.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

"Now, they're left to fend for themselves," he said.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

In the middle of a villain era, good people can feel like members of an endangered species reclassified as huntable and left to fend for themselves.

From Salon • Jan. 28, 2026

Some Americans, including Lucy’s father Hank, survived by moving into a network of underground bunkers called Vaults, while others were left to fend for themselves in the Wasteland.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2026

Instead, we were left at the curb to fend for ourselves.

From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals