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Matrix defense

(US, legal) A legal defense in which the defendant claims to have committed a crime in the belief that they were not in the real world, but in a simulated reality.

ˈmeɪtɹɪks dɪˈfɛnsDocumented since 1990s1990sGen Zhistorical94 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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Born ~1999 · no dated citations yet
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#1·Apr 27, 2026

(US, legal) A legal defense in which the defendant claims to have committed a crime in the belief that they were not in the real world, but in a simulated reality.

Origin: From the plot of the film The Matrix (1999), whose protagonist is woken from an illusionary simulated world into the dystopian reality. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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