Difference between Defends and Oppose

DEFENDS vs OPPOSE: VERB

To compete with; to strive against.
To resist or antagonize by physical means, or by arguments, etc.; to contend against; to confront; to resist; to withstand
To put in opposition, with a view to counterbalance or countervail; to set against; to offer antagonistically.
To place in front of, or over against; to set opposite; to exhibit.

To set or place over against or directly opposite; confront or cause to confront, either literally or by way of comparison, contrast, etc.
To expose; show; display.
To propose; offer.
To place or interpose as an obstacle; place in opposition, as for the purpose of contradicting, countervailing, offsetting, or withstanding and defeating something.
To speak or act against; confront with adverse arguments or efforts; contradict; withstand; endeavor to frustrate or thwart.
To hinder; resist effectually; prevent; defeat: as, the army was not able to oppose the enemy's progress.
Synonyms Oppose, Resist, Withstand, combat, strive against, contravene. The first three words are all rather general, but oppose is not quite so strong as the others, as suggesting less of physical action; they all primarily convey the idea of receiving rather than making the attack, but oppose is least restricted to that meaning. See frustrate.
To stand over against another or one another; be opposite.
To interpose effort or objection; act or speak in opposition; be adverse or act adverse ly: sometimes with to or against.
Express opposition to
Be against
(idiom) (as opposed to) In contrast to.

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

Disapprove, Disagree, Denounce, Objecting, Reject, Fight down, Match, Pit, Fight back, Counterbalance, React, Controvert, Fight, Defend, Contradict

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

Objection, Refuse, Opposition, Resist, Deny, Disapprove, Denounce, Objecting, Reject, Match, Pit, Fight back, Controvert, Fight, Contradict

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.

All in all, do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose.
Biden because you oppose Trump, vote for me because you oppose Trump.
Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose these accommodations?
Smetana asked where are the citizens who oppose annexation; they were here some time ago to oppose annexation; none are here tonight.
All in all, do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose the death penalty for persons convicted of murder?
For those and other reasons, I strongly oppose this amendment, and would ask my colleagues to oppose.
Many will oppose you and even use verses to oppose you.
Your original question is, if I oppose free school lunches, then somehow I oppose children.
He stands to oppose, the Speaker reminds him, he can sit and oppose too.
In most cases, the proper course for public lands conservationists is to oppose, oppose, and oppose to cause delay, delay, and delay.