as in protective
intended to resist or prevent attack or aggression
a defensive alliance among the small nations against the aggressors
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Recent Examples of defensive
Usa Today, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
But White Bear Lake’s defensive front held up relatively well for much of the night from there, keeping the Bears in the game.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
Anniek Bao, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
The Buffalo Bills are reportedly running it back with a veteran defensive back.
—Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defensive
Adjective
Spit hits the fans, draws hefty fine Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter is paying a hefty price for spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the NFL season opener.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
But White Bear Lake’s defensive front held up relatively well for much of the night from there, keeping the Bears in the game.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
For Russia, the SCO also remains one of the few international platforms where Putin is not on the defensive, underscoring Moscow's enduring ties with influential Asian partners despite Western sanctions.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
The Buffalo Bills are reportedly running it back with a veteran defensive back.
—Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defensive
Adjective
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Otherwise, the oil works as a specialized scalp treatment, too, or to provide nourishment during protective styling.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
12 Sep. 2025
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Physicists revealed that the HRNS spectrometer will be installed behind a thick concrete protective wall surrounding the fusion chamber, near an opening several centimetres in diameter, to be able to detect neutrons produced in the very center of the plasma.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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His father, a former military officer, was imprisoned following the Iranian revolution until his mother was able to negotiate his release with prison guards, according to reporting by the New York Times.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
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The Fever were led by the trio of guard Kelsey Mitchell who contributed 19 points and four assists, forward Natasha Howard (12 points, five rebounds), and forward Aliyah Boston who tallied 15 points and five rebounds.—
Allison Smith,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defensive. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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