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
To hear players describe it, the new approach sounds like a poor man’s hybrid of last season’s NBA finalists, with Boston aiming for an Indiana-esque up-tempo offense and Oklahoma City’s aggressive playmaking on defense.
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Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 22 Oct. 2025
The Timberwolves were on fire that night, executing on offense and flying around with maximum effort and pressure on defense.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025
Richard played 14 minutes, was a pest on defense and even had a stint guarding Doncic.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
The two-point try was unsuccessful, but at 17-12, the game was within reach if Houston could figure something out on defense.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
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Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 22 Oct. 2025
The Timberwolves were on fire that night, executing on offense and flying around with maximum effort and pressure on defense.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025
Richard played 14 minutes, was a pest on defense and even had a stint guarding Doncic.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
The two-point try was unsuccessful, but at 17-12, the game was within reach if Houston could figure something out on defense.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 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 28 Oct. 2025.
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