<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!--XBRL Document Created with the Workiva Platform-->
<!--Copyright 2026 Workiva-->
<!--r:019e40fe-b01a-7255-8933-3c26d6a51c37,g:33ef91af-7b22-4b79-948a-e155cf40ea24-->
<link:linkbase xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xbrldt="http://xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-linkbase-2003-12-31.xsd">
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#all"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#hypercube-dimension"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-default"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-domain"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#domain-member"/>
  <link:roleRef roleURI="http://arborrealtytrust.com/role/Cover" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="abr-20260520.xsd#Cover"/>
  <link:definitionLink xlink:role="http://arborrealtytrust.com/role/Cover" xlink:type="extended">
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_DocumentInformationLineItems"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_StatementTable_019e40fe-b01a-75e9-8260-50529668837f" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_StatementTable"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_StatementTable_019e40fe-b01a-75e9-8260-50529668837f" xlink:type="arc" order="1" xbrldt:closed="true" xbrldt:contextElement="segment"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_019e40fe-b01a-7d42-a4d8-40ec9f8b5e82" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_StatementTable_019e40fe-b01a-75e9-8260-50529668837f" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_019e40fe-b01a-7d42-a4d8-40ec9f8b5e82" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019e40fe-b01a-7d42-a4d8-40ec9f8b5e82_default" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_019e40fe-b01a-7d42-a4d8-40ec9f8b5e82" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019e40fe-b01a-7d42-a4d8-40ec9f8b5e82_default" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019e40fe-b01a-78fa-ae9f-1af2dff77540" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_019e40fe-b01a-7d42-a4d8-40ec9f8b5e82" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019e40fe-b01a-78fa-ae9f-1af2dff77540" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_CommonStockMember_019e40fe-b01a-770e-bc0a-b946dbc09f19" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_CommonStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019e40fe-b01a-78fa-ae9f-1af2dff77540" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_CommonStockMember_019e40fe-b01a-770e-bc0a-b946dbc09f19" xlink:type="arc" order="0"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_SeriesDPreferredStockMember_019e40fe-b01a-75b5-9b62-9f4ea69fb202" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_SeriesDPreferredStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019e40fe-b01a-78fa-ae9f-1af2dff77540" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_SeriesDPreferredStockMember_019e40fe-b01a-75b5-9b62-9f4ea69fb202" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_SeriesEPreferredStockMember_019e40fe-b01a-7dae-9df4-99b1ce0a4578" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_SeriesEPreferredStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019e40fe-b01a-78fa-ae9f-1af2dff77540" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_SeriesEPreferredStockMember_019e40fe-b01a-7dae-9df4-99b1ce0a4578" xlink:type="arc" order="2"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_SeriesFPreferredStockMember_019e40fe-b01a-761b-b9a2-b19ffaa3fced" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_SeriesFPreferredStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019e40fe-b01a-78fa-ae9f-1af2dff77540" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_SeriesFPreferredStockMember_019e40fe-b01a-761b-b9a2-b19ffaa3fced" xlink:type="arc" order="3"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentType_019e40fe-b01a-7134-b4f2-460d795df5ce" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_DocumentType"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentType_019e40fe-b01a-7134-b4f2-460d795df5ce" xlink:type="arc" order="0"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_019e40fe-b01a-7a81-812a-c41bb08a7054" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_019e40fe-b01a-7a81-812a-c41bb08a7054" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_019e40fe-b01a-78ec-abd7-dceef0e1c0a8" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityRegistrantName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_019e40fe-b01a-78ec-abd7-dceef0e1c0a8" xlink:type="arc" order="2"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_019e40fe-b01a-7a1a-b6d2-5b7e01cf80f6" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_019e40fe-b01a-7a1a-b6d2-5b7e01cf80f6" xlink:type="arc" order="3"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_019e40fe-b01a-7d70-abc5-11dba8706b43" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityFileNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_019e40fe-b01a-7d70-abc5-11dba8706b43" xlink:type="arc" order="4"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_019e40fe-b01a-7f39-9f85-472bcce7fd1a" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_019e40fe-b01a-7f39-9f85-472bcce7fd1a" xlink:type="arc" order="5"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_019e40fe-b01a-76b7-b834-6d275a335558" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_019e40fe-b01a-76b7-b834-6d275a335558" xlink:type="arc" order="6"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine2_019e40fe-b01a-7bb2-8516-a3177b8c5d3f" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine2"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine2_019e40fe-b01a-7bb2-8516-a3177b8c5d3f" xlink:type="arc" order="7"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_019e40fe-b01a-7d8d-8209-2903f7b21d4b" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_019e40fe-b01a-7d8d-8209-2903f7b21d4b" xlink:type="arc" order="8"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_019e40fe-b01a-7b13-af00-cf0db7a6543e" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_019e40fe-b01a-7b13-af00-cf0db7a6543e" xlink:type="arc" order="9"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_019e40fe-b01a-7e0a-af54-2f12d64404ae" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_019e40fe-b01a-7e0a-af54-2f12d64404ae" xlink:type="arc" order="10"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_019e40fe-b01a-7590-bb2a-4e9553aa5711" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_CityAreaCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_019e40fe-b01a-7590-bb2a-4e9553aa5711" xlink:type="arc" order="11"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_019e40fe-b01a-737f-a239-85696c8cd3e9" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_LocalPhoneNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_019e40fe-b01a-737f-a239-85696c8cd3e9" xlink:type="arc" order="12"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_019e40fe-b01a-7607-926a-76c179d1a7a4" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_WrittenCommunications"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_019e40fe-b01a-7607-926a-76c179d1a7a4" xlink:type="arc" order="13"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_019e40fe-b01a-78ac-95bd-800cef7eaf4a" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_SolicitingMaterial"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_019e40fe-b01a-78ac-95bd-800cef7eaf4a" xlink:type="arc" order="14"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_019e40fe-b01a-7715-92de-0376dd0e1b7d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_019e40fe-b01a-7715-92de-0376dd0e1b7d" xlink:type="arc" order="15"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_019e40fe-b01a-7a1f-94f0-5857a45310d5" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_019e40fe-b01a-7a1f-94f0-5857a45310d5" xlink:type="arc" order="16"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_019e40fe-b01a-7e9e-a3ce-bf22ba44334e" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_019e40fe-b01a-7e9e-a3ce-bf22ba44334e" xlink:type="arc" order="17"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_019e40fe-b01a-7e98-bb5c-0051ad0b9813" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_Security12bTitle"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_019e40fe-b01a-7e98-bb5c-0051ad0b9813" xlink:type="arc" order="18"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_019e40fe-b01a-772b-affa-589d85c40968" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_TradingSymbol"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_019e40fe-b01a-772b-affa-589d85c40968" xlink:type="arc" order="19"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_019e40fe-b01a-75b7-97b1-7c06a1acf055" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_SecurityExchangeName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_019e40fe-b01a-75b7-97b1-7c06a1acf055" xlink:type="arc" order="20"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_019e40fe-b01a-7b15-9665-5a26a620740d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityCentralIndexKey"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_019e40fe-b01a-7b15-9665-5a26a620740d" xlink:type="arc" order="21"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_019e40fe-b01a-719b-bf15-a334874f180a" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_AmendmentFlag"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019e40fe-b01a-7990-8d6c-1d6faa832feb" xlink:to="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_019e40fe-b01a-719b-bf15-a334874f180a" xlink:type="arc" order="22"/>
  </link:definitionLink>
</link:linkbase>
