Difference between Defends and Maintain

DEFENDS vs MAINTAIN: VERB

To adhere or conform to; keep.
To declare to be true; affirm.
To defend or hold against criticism or attack.
To keep in existence; sustain.
To keep in a condition of good repair or efficiency.
To keep in an existing state; preserve or retain.
To keep up or carry on; continue.
To hold or keep in any particular state or condition; to support; to sustain; to uphold; to keep up; not to suffer to fail or decline
To keep possession of; to hold and defend; not to surrender or relinquish.
To continue; not to suffer to cease or fail.
To bear the expense of; to support; to keep up; to supply with what is needed.
To provide for; support.
To affirm; to support or defend by argument.

To furnish means for the subsistence or existence of; sustain or assist with the means of livelihood; provide for; support: as, to maintain a family or an army; to maintain a costly equipage.
To hold fast; keep in possession; preserve from capture or loss: as, to maintain one's ground in battle or in argument; to maintain an advantage.
To give support or encouragement to; uphold; countenance; vindicate, as by defense or adjudication.
To uphold by argument or assertion; hold to: as, to maintain the doctrine of the Trinity.
To represent; denote.
Synonyms and Defend, Vindicate, etc. See assert.
To behave; conduct one's self.
To hold in an existing state or condition; keep in existence or continuance; preserve from lapse, decline, failure, or cessation; keep up: as, to maintain an upright attitude; to maintain a conversation.
E.g., "keep clean"
2. To hold as true; hold.

Supports, Secures, Promotes, Upholds, Fend for, Fight down, Fight back, Support, Guard, Champion, Hold, Represent, Oppose, Maintain, Fight

Ensure, Establish, Retain, Asseverate, Keep up, Wield, Observe, Hold, Defend, Exert, Assert, Uphold, Keep, Preserve, Sustain

Sustains, Represents, Uphold, Forbids, Subscribes, Adheres, Espouses, Fight back, Support, Guard, Champion, Hold, Represent, Oppose, Fight

Cultivate, Achieve, Continue, Assure, Secure, Build, Ensure, Establish, Retain, Observe, Hold, Assert, Uphold, Keep, Preserve

The Safety defends against deep passes and runs.
Sally Hansen defends against breaking, tearing and peeling.
Belt pulls a bone knife and defends himself.
The agency defends their risk assessments of BPA.
Claudio and rejected by Leonato, she defends herself.
Defends against viruses, spyware, malware, and online threats.
Tano defends herself against the oncoming clone troopers.
Office of the Attorney General, who defends the state in such bid protests, aggressively defends against bid protests on grounds of untimeliness.
And I think that RFRA is something that defends that, defends the very basic premise that we all agree with here, right?
In polygyny a large conspicuous male usually defends females from other males or defends a breeding site.

Former employers maintain records of past group policies.
Maintain Mission Valley as a regional retail center.
It is very important to maintain your scissors.
There is an urgency to maintain the momentum.
Maintain Infection Control Standards in Office Practice Settings.
All the recruited candidates shall maintain bonafidehead quarters.
The higher the blood level that you need to maintain, the more vitamin D you will need to maintain that level.
MPSI to maintain positive net worth, with one state requiring that MPSI maintain positive tangible net worth.
The treasurer shall maintain custody of funds, prepare annual budget and financial statement, and maintain oversight of BRIGHT budget.
We maintain commercially reasonable safeguards to maintain the security and privacy of personal information that you provide to us.