on defense
idiom
sports
: on the part of a team that defends the goal
She began the season on defense, but her coach later put her on offense.
Examples of on defense in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The group intends to continue supporting Ukraine and wants to enshrine the NATO requirement to 2% of gross domestic product on defense into law.
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TIME, 16 May 2024
In 2018, the first military judge in the case, Col. James L. Pohl, threw out the confessions, citing limits on defense lawyers’ ability to investigate the C.I.A. years, then retired.
—Charlie Savage, New York Times, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for on defense 
TIME, 16 May 2024
In 2018, the first military judge in the case, Col. James L. Pohl, threw out the confessions, citing limits on defense lawyers’ ability to investigate the C.I.A. years, then retired.
—Charlie Savage, New York Times, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for on defense
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'on defense.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“On defense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20defense. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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