This is the 471st most frequent Norwegian word.
forsvaret
"The defense" or "the armed forces."
In this sentence, 'forsvaret' refers to the organized military forces of a nation, a noun.
Forsvaret er ansvarlig for å beskytte landet.
The defense is responsible for protecting the country.
In this context, 'forsvaret' is used metaphorically to refer to the act or means of defending a cause or a case, distinct from the military context.
Forsvaret på vår sak har vært veldig overbevisende.
The defense of our case has been very convincing.
Here, 'forsvaret' again represents the military forces, used in a discussion about improving its capabilities.