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

<!--XBRL Document Created with the Workiva Platform-->
<!--Copyright 2026 Workiva-->
<!--r:019c6c03-a84c-7a7a-ba38-fe1f09988565,g:07d8ddcd-535d-4ff1-81fa-3645069fc4a1-->
<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-20260217.xsd#Cover"/>
  <link:definitionLink xlink:role="http://arborrealtytrust.com/role/Cover" xlink:type="extended">
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_DocumentInformationLineItems"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_StatementTable_019c6c03-a84c-7156-b895-68d22c2af478" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2024/elts/us-gaap-2024.xsd#us-gaap_StatementTable"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_StatementTable_019c6c03-a84c-7156-b895-68d22c2af478" xlink:type="arc" order="1" xbrldt:closed="true" xbrldt:contextElement="segment"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_019c6c03-a84c-7d81-9fa3-0bcca4330fa2" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2024/elts/us-gaap-2024.xsd#us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_StatementTable_019c6c03-a84c-7156-b895-68d22c2af478" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_019c6c03-a84c-7d81-9fa3-0bcca4330fa2" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019c6c03-a84c-7d81-9fa3-0bcca4330fa2_default" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2024/elts/us-gaap-2024.xsd#us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_019c6c03-a84c-7d81-9fa3-0bcca4330fa2" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019c6c03-a84c-7d81-9fa3-0bcca4330fa2_default" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019c6c03-a84c-7ae9-a1c0-30dee90eb2c7" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2024/elts/us-gaap-2024.xsd#us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_019c6c03-a84c-7d81-9fa3-0bcca4330fa2" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019c6c03-a84c-7ae9-a1c0-30dee90eb2c7" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_CommonStockMember_019c6c03-a84c-7bd6-b736-d101a8860967" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2024/elts/us-gaap-2024.xsd#us-gaap_CommonStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019c6c03-a84c-7ae9-a1c0-30dee90eb2c7" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_CommonStockMember_019c6c03-a84c-7bd6-b736-d101a8860967" xlink:type="arc" order="0"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_SeriesDPreferredStockMember_019c6c03-a84c-7b4c-aff1-1df72762bed0" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2024/elts/us-gaap-2024.xsd#us-gaap_SeriesDPreferredStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019c6c03-a84c-7ae9-a1c0-30dee90eb2c7" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_SeriesDPreferredStockMember_019c6c03-a84c-7b4c-aff1-1df72762bed0" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_SeriesEPreferredStockMember_019c6c03-a84c-7264-b60c-37623836d09e" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2024/elts/us-gaap-2024.xsd#us-gaap_SeriesEPreferredStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019c6c03-a84c-7ae9-a1c0-30dee90eb2c7" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_SeriesEPreferredStockMember_019c6c03-a84c-7264-b60c-37623836d09e" xlink:type="arc" order="2"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_SeriesFPreferredStockMember_019c6c03-a84c-71be-b746-9ed7dc2d2601" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2024/elts/us-gaap-2024.xsd#us-gaap_SeriesFPreferredStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019c6c03-a84c-7ae9-a1c0-30dee90eb2c7" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_SeriesFPreferredStockMember_019c6c03-a84c-71be-b746-9ed7dc2d2601" xlink:type="arc" order="3"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentType_019c6c03-a84c-7b61-9d16-dcf638e93309" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_DocumentType"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentType_019c6c03-a84c-7b61-9d16-dcf638e93309" xlink:type="arc" order="0"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_019c6c03-a84c-719e-9243-5cf6b83e5a57" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_019c6c03-a84c-719e-9243-5cf6b83e5a57" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_019c6c03-a84c-7a42-b6e3-a0a135641bca" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_EntityRegistrantName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_019c6c03-a84c-7a42-b6e3-a0a135641bca" xlink:type="arc" order="2"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_019c6c03-a84c-7852-bff2-daa00fec246a" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_019c6c03-a84c-7852-bff2-daa00fec246a" xlink:type="arc" order="3"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_019c6c03-a84c-7f79-a4a4-0df5a96d73a7" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_EntityFileNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_019c6c03-a84c-7f79-a4a4-0df5a96d73a7" xlink:type="arc" order="4"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_019c6c03-a84c-76a7-9554-9bb0e65af72b" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_019c6c03-a84c-76a7-9554-9bb0e65af72b" xlink:type="arc" order="5"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_019c6c03-a84c-7cdd-a5c0-69521e0eee63" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_019c6c03-a84c-7cdd-a5c0-69521e0eee63" xlink:type="arc" order="6"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine2_019c6c03-a84c-73d7-9f6e-070aad1810cf" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine2"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine2_019c6c03-a84c-73d7-9f6e-070aad1810cf" xlink:type="arc" order="7"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_019c6c03-a84c-79e3-8d22-65c9417ed99b" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_019c6c03-a84c-79e3-8d22-65c9417ed99b" xlink:type="arc" order="8"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_019c6c03-a84c-7dfb-9259-b7f6090fbe1e" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_019c6c03-a84c-7dfb-9259-b7f6090fbe1e" xlink:type="arc" order="9"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_019c6c03-a84c-7c44-87a5-523c0539a116" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_019c6c03-a84c-7c44-87a5-523c0539a116" xlink:type="arc" order="10"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_019c6c03-a84c-74f5-adcc-f8ed0e6c1e1d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_CityAreaCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_019c6c03-a84c-74f5-adcc-f8ed0e6c1e1d" xlink:type="arc" order="11"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_019c6c03-a84c-78bf-bdf4-32fd6309f113" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_LocalPhoneNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_019c6c03-a84c-78bf-bdf4-32fd6309f113" xlink:type="arc" order="12"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_019c6c03-a84c-79f5-ac51-e62f93122cef" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_WrittenCommunications"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_019c6c03-a84c-79f5-ac51-e62f93122cef" xlink:type="arc" order="13"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_019c6c03-a84c-747e-a111-a716f9fb8936" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_SolicitingMaterial"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_019c6c03-a84c-747e-a111-a716f9fb8936" xlink:type="arc" order="14"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_019c6c03-a84c-78a0-945c-c37f1bf2416f" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_019c6c03-a84c-78a0-945c-c37f1bf2416f" xlink:type="arc" order="15"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_019c6c03-a84c-721d-8bec-9c741c520bfe" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_019c6c03-a84c-721d-8bec-9c741c520bfe" xlink:type="arc" order="16"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_019c6c03-a84c-7cc5-b65f-6a675ad9db08" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_019c6c03-a84c-7cc5-b65f-6a675ad9db08" xlink:type="arc" order="17"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_019c6c03-a84c-7d5b-b4ae-32b824a581d0" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_Security12bTitle"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_019c6c03-a84c-7d5b-b4ae-32b824a581d0" xlink:type="arc" order="18"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_019c6c03-a84c-756c-b7f6-1a86d3b01b47" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_TradingSymbol"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_019c6c03-a84c-756c-b7f6-1a86d3b01b47" xlink:type="arc" order="19"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_019c6c03-a84c-743d-819a-56caf5e34ed6" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_SecurityExchangeName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_019c6c03-a84c-743d-819a-56caf5e34ed6" xlink:type="arc" order="20"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_019c6c03-a84c-748c-b01e-91795b1ffe71" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_EntityCentralIndexKey"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_019c6c03-a84c-748c-b01e-91795b1ffe71" xlink:type="arc" order="21"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_019c6c03-a84c-7daf-9e12-7dd03a7bf913" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2024/dei-2024.xsd#dei_AmendmentFlag"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_019c6c03-a84c-7016-8ba5-454d9acc1e46" xlink:to="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_019c6c03-a84c-7daf-9e12-7dd03a7bf913" xlink:type="arc" order="22"/>
  </link:definitionLink>
</link:linkbase>
