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
Their duty is to ensure that orders are lawful and defensible before they are carried out.
—
Jon Duffy, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2026
Honest mistakes made in good faith would still be defensible.
—Dave Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 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
For millennia, punishment was considered morally defensible purely on retributive grounds.
—Paul Rosenzweig, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defensible
Jon Duffy, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2026
Honest mistakes made in good faith would still be defensible.
—Dave Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 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
For millennia, punishment was considered morally defensible purely on retributive grounds.
—Paul Rosenzweig, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defensible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defensible
Adjective
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The number of killings investigated last year fell to 67, with 57 of those categorized as murders — excluding cases such as justifiable homicides — a total not seen since 1967, according to data compiled by this news organization.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
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The joke isn’t on the protagonists for feeling justifiable feelings.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The preservation was so exceptional that the researchers could identify countershading patterns, indicating this armored dinosaur relied on camouflage despite its heavily defended appearance.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Nov. 2025
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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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All the villas are secluded, surrounded by trees, well back from the main path and removed from the beach, so the lights don’t disorient the protected sea turtles.—
Kim Foley MacKinnon,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
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Representatives from the developer said on Monday that the city's ordinance did not list the blacksmith shop as a protected landmark and that demolition is in the best interest of the community.—
CBS Chicago Team,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Following the success of that effort, Sunrise Rotary members again raised money and secured permits to light the tree in 2025.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
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Lazarow said there’s not much brands can do to get money owed now, but suggested that vendors could send a letter with the full amount they’re owed in an effort to get their claims addressed in a bankruptcy as soon as possible after secured creditors get paid.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defensible. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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