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

<!--XBRL Document Created with the Workiva Platform-->
<!--Copyright 2026 Workiva-->
<!--r:01a0fd48-92e2-75c8-8e85-6173895d927d,g:cf4063ff-33da-4143-befa-882b50bc4d30-->
<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://www.washingtonfederal.com/role/DocumentandEntityInformation" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="wfsl-20261002.xsd#DocumentandEntityInformation"/>
  <link:definitionLink xlink:role="http://www.washingtonfederal.com/role/DocumentandEntityInformation" xlink:type="extended">
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentInformationLineItems"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentInformationTable_01a0fd48-92e2-7a98-be19-a538c5633e35" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentInformationTable"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentInformationTable_01a0fd48-92e2-7a98-be19-a538c5633e35" xlink:type="arc" order="1" xbrldt:closed="true" xbrldt:contextElement="segment"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_01a0fd48-92e2-72c1-97fd-f02c335d348d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2025/elts/us-gaap-2025.xsd#us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationTable_01a0fd48-92e2-7a98-be19-a538c5633e35" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_01a0fd48-92e2-72c1-97fd-f02c335d348d" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a0fd48-92e2-72c1-97fd-f02c335d348d_default" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2025/elts/us-gaap-2025.xsd#us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_01a0fd48-92e2-72c1-97fd-f02c335d348d" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a0fd48-92e2-72c1-97fd-f02c335d348d_default" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a0fd48-92e2-78ae-bf04-a90aa679c75e" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2025/elts/us-gaap-2025.xsd#us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_01a0fd48-92e2-72c1-97fd-f02c335d348d" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a0fd48-92e2-78ae-bf04-a90aa679c75e" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_SeriesAPreferredStockMember_01a0fd48-92e2-7e58-978e-b1b890802ee1" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2025/elts/us-gaap-2025.xsd#us-gaap_SeriesAPreferredStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a0fd48-92e2-78ae-bf04-a90aa679c75e" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_SeriesAPreferredStockMember_01a0fd48-92e2-7e58-978e-b1b890802ee1" xlink:type="arc" order="0"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_CommonStockMember_01a0fd48-92e2-7ef7-96ce-679d1d97d82e" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2025/elts/us-gaap-2025.xsd#us-gaap_CommonStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_01a0fd48-92e2-78ae-bf04-a90aa679c75e" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_CommonStockMember_01a0fd48-92e2-7ef7-96ce-679d1d97d82e" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentType_01a0fd48-92e2-78d6-8f5d-b20e5a059bf8" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentType"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentType_01a0fd48-92e2-78d6-8f5d-b20e5a059bf8" xlink:type="arc" order="0"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_01a0fd48-92e2-7b8c-9437-51801cc04ee6" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_01a0fd48-92e2-7b8c-9437-51801cc04ee6" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_01a0fd48-92e2-7b80-b712-97fda3ffda8c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityRegistrantName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_01a0fd48-92e2-7b80-b712-97fda3ffda8c" xlink:type="arc" order="2"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_01a0fd48-92e2-742c-9034-63a749883003" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityCentralIndexKey"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_01a0fd48-92e2-742c-9034-63a749883003" xlink:type="arc" order="3"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_01a0fd48-92e2-7cc0-9c77-4e07829fa827" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_AmendmentFlag"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_01a0fd48-92e2-7cc0-9c77-4e07829fa827" xlink:type="arc" order="4"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_01a0fd48-92e2-7754-9323-388707862d81" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_01a0fd48-92e2-7754-9323-388707862d81" xlink:type="arc" order="5"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_01a0fd48-92e2-787d-82bc-cebbb416c1c4" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityFileNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_01a0fd48-92e2-787d-82bc-cebbb416c1c4" xlink:type="arc" order="6"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_01a0fd48-92e2-79af-bac2-86383bbb5f64" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_01a0fd48-92e2-79af-bac2-86383bbb5f64" xlink:type="arc" order="7"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_01a0fd48-92e2-7472-9b6c-a4838d0d28f4" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_01a0fd48-92e2-7472-9b6c-a4838d0d28f4" xlink:type="arc" order="8"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_01a0fd48-92e2-7583-818b-5cc935c03819" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_01a0fd48-92e2-7583-818b-5cc935c03819" xlink:type="arc" order="9"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_01a0fd48-92e2-74ba-9202-b8ad9ae05e0c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_01a0fd48-92e2-74ba-9202-b8ad9ae05e0c" xlink:type="arc" order="10"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_01a0fd48-92e2-7526-972c-c3858862ed2c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_01a0fd48-92e2-7526-972c-c3858862ed2c" xlink:type="arc" order="11"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_01a0fd48-92e2-70b1-b7a8-c21a7cddfa82" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_CityAreaCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_01a0fd48-92e2-70b1-b7a8-c21a7cddfa82" xlink:type="arc" order="12"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_01a0fd48-92e2-7dbc-a900-1cdd4f7b66db" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_LocalPhoneNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_01a0fd48-92e2-7dbc-a900-1cdd4f7b66db" xlink:type="arc" order="13"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_01a0fd48-92e2-7e33-90cb-f7698d83ea3b" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_WrittenCommunications"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_01a0fd48-92e2-7e33-90cb-f7698d83ea3b" xlink:type="arc" order="14"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_01a0fd48-92e2-74f6-a2d5-3e4ec2f01b9d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_SolicitingMaterial"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_01a0fd48-92e2-74f6-a2d5-3e4ec2f01b9d" xlink:type="arc" order="15"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_01a0fd48-92e2-7897-82cf-b98370901492" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_01a0fd48-92e2-7897-82cf-b98370901492" xlink:type="arc" order="16"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_01a0fd48-92e2-7bc4-96c9-83f99ccff576" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_01a0fd48-92e2-7bc4-96c9-83f99ccff576" xlink:type="arc" order="17"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_01a0fd48-92e2-72b8-86ee-f0a6d988f611" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_01a0fd48-92e2-72b8-86ee-f0a6d988f611" xlink:type="arc" order="18"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_01a0fd48-92e2-7d87-b32f-1ed5b2672f20" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_Security12bTitle"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_01a0fd48-92e2-7d87-b32f-1ed5b2672f20" xlink:type="arc" order="19"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_01a0fd48-92e2-77c9-8e32-94c3ed65d39d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_TradingSymbol"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_01a0fd48-92e2-77c9-8e32-94c3ed65d39d" xlink:type="arc" order="20"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_01a0fd48-92e2-76ac-92d3-91299de41693" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_SecurityExchangeName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_01a0fd48-92e2-7ebe-b04e-19abfa4fef2e" xlink:to="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_01a0fd48-92e2-76ac-92d3-91299de41693" xlink:type="arc" order="21"/>
  </link:definitionLink>
</link:linkbase>
