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
Head coach Jonathan Gannon’s team has been declining on defense, allowing 40 or more points in four of their last six games, all of which have been losses.
—
Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 17 Dec. 2025
This approach is best exemplified by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who in June sent Trump an obsequious message praising his Middle Eastern diplomacy and lauding him for getting European countries to spend more on defense.
—Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
The issue is there has been slippage on defense for the Heat, too.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 16 Dec. 2025
Detroit currently is the odd one out and is playing the most inconsistent ball (on defense, mainly).
—Chris Bumbaca, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on defense
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Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 17 Dec. 2025
This approach is best exemplified by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who in June sent Trump an obsequious message praising his Middle Eastern diplomacy and lauding him for getting European countries to spend more on defense.
—Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
The issue is there has been slippage on defense for the Heat, too.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 16 Dec. 2025
Detroit currently is the odd one out and is playing the most inconsistent ball (on defense, mainly).
—Chris Bumbaca, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on defense
Cite this Entry
“On defense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20defense. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.
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