1
as in defendable
capable of being defended against physical attack
the pioneers retreated to a defensible hillside to take a stand against the raiders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justifiable
capable of being defended with good reasoning against verbal attack
there's simply no defensible reason for dropping out of school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defensible
This is precisely why brand differentiation and sustainability matter more than ever, with trust and strategic positioning standing out as truly defensible assets.
—
Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 24 Feb. 2026
The city should work with land managers — including the state and county — on measures such as cutting gaps in vegetation for firefighter access, maintaining defensible space around community infrastructure and restoring native vegetation, the report said.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Homeowners should create defensible space by clearing dry brush, leaves, and other flammable materials away from structures and keeping gutters and roofs free of debris.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
The more exceptions to a rule made, the less necessary and less defensible that exclusion seems.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defensible
Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 24 Feb. 2026
The city should work with land managers — including the state and county — on measures such as cutting gaps in vegetation for firefighter access, maintaining defensible space around community infrastructure and restoring native vegetation, the report said.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Homeowners should create defensible space by clearing dry brush, leaves, and other flammable materials away from structures and keeping gutters and roofs free of debris.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
The more exceptions to a rule made, the less necessary and less defensible that exclusion seems.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defensible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defensible
Adjective
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The justifiable fury over that incident was probably one of the reasons One Battle won in the first place.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Mar. 2026
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Somehow, Jacob Elordi was able to pull a genuinely affecting performance out of this mess, which makes his nomination the only justifiable one of this movie’s bloated haul.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Such endurance is central to the aircraft’s role in long-range deterrence operations and potential missions in heavily defended regions.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Mar. 2026
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Private firefighting outfits defended companies, utilities, and ultrarich enclaves while other parts of the city burned.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The anti-discrimination law, which adds family or relationship structure as a protected class in the city alongside race, religion, gender and other categories, was finalized Monday and will go into effect in mid-April.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
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Sweeney did concede that the uncertainty around two of the four first-round picks (the Toronto pick this year is top-5 protected and the Florida pick next year is top-10 protected) added to the reticence to move any of them.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That’s also how Trump secured funding for immigration enforcement.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
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Creditors confronting both foreign trustees and secured interests must evaluate the cost of untangling each layer.—
Ascend Agency,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defensible. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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