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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defensible
Participants can also learn best practices for creating defensible space, protecting a home with fire-safe strategies, and creating an evacuation plan.
—
Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026
The goal is defensible because grades should tell students, parents, employers and graduate schools something real about performance.
—Gerald Bradshaw, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
That decision was defensible, too; Tatum needed to take minutes from someone.
—Jay King, New York Times, 1 June 2026
Even when the decision is medically defensible, even when no one did anything malicious, even when the star loses anyway, fans are left wondering where legitimate discretion ends and star treatment begins.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for defensible
Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026
The goal is defensible because grades should tell students, parents, employers and graduate schools something real about performance.
—Gerald Bradshaw, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
That decision was defensible, too; Tatum needed to take minutes from someone.
—Jay King, New York Times, 1 June 2026
Even when the decision is medically defensible, even when no one did anything malicious, even when the star loses anyway, fans are left wondering where legitimate discretion ends and star treatment begins.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for defensible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defensible
Adjective
-
The safe, defendable choice wasn’t necessarily the right one though.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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There was a lot of justifiable angst leading into this summer’s tournament, from ticket prices to politics to something as simple as the vibes feeling deeply off.—
Emily Olsen,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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While some of the public comments veer into conspiracy-territory, the vast majority surveyed by Futurism express some justifiable anxiety at the idea of a for-profit tech giant spearheading a project like this.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Speaking at Fortune’s Workforce Innovation Summit on Tuesday, the 31-year-old defended sweeping workforce cuts at Bolt—including a recent layoff affecting roughly 30% of employees—as well as his decision to eliminate the company’s HR team.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
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As in traditional sieges, the focus is on the vulnerable flow of supplies rather than a defended position.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
And yet Sazan is also a protected area.—
Marzio G. Mian,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
-
The southern coast of Tenerife is a hotspot environment for the conservation of cetaceans in the wild, particularly within the protected Teno-Rasca Special Conservation Zone.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
Claire Pease, 17, secured individual all-around gold, adding to her team gold.—
Caroline Price,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
-
Security at the Kansas City Fan Festival, being held on the grounds of the National World War I Museum and Memorial, is to include metal detectors, a secured perimeter, entrance with clear bags, and access to the festival using a mobile app.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defensible. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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