defensible

adjective

de·​fen·​si·​ble di-ˈfen(t)-sə-bəl 

: capable of being defended

defensible theories

a defensible hill

defensibility

di-ˌfen(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

ˌdē-

noun

defensibly

di-ˈfen(t)-sə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms of defensible

• defendable
• defended
• protected
• secured

Examples of defensible in a Sentence

Both candidates hold defensible positions on the issue.

Under those circumstances, her actions were completely defensible.

Slavery is not morally defensible.

The city has a defensible location.

Recent Examples on the Web

In response to these concerns, many startups have argued that companies with deep domain expertise or a better user experience for specific workflows may still maintain defensible positions in the market. —Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2026

Nearly every other recent president has taken international military action for defensible reasons while incurring criticism for not following a constitutional or statutory requirement to get a sign-off from Congress. —John Brummett, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026

His newer designs have eliminated attics and crawlspaces and implemented the placement of defensible landscaping. —Luzdelia Caballero, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026

For millennia, punishment was considered morally defensible purely on retributive grounds. —Paul Rosenzweig, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English defensable, defensible "ready to fight, easily defended," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Late Latin dēfensābilis "able to be defended," from Latin dēfensāre "to act in defense" (frequentative of dēfendere "to defend") + -bilis "capable (of acting) or worthy of (being acted upon)" — more at -able

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for defensible

• sensible
• compensable
• condensable
• dispensable
• extensible
• insensible
• ostensible
• comprehensible
• indefensible
• indispensable
• reprehensible
• supersensible