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
Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
Rocky Gibraltar Aries are known to have defensive and fighting abilities like Rocky Gibraltar.
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 18 June 2025
Pete Sampson, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
That left voting centers practically empty at times and put officials on the defensive.
—Arkansas Online, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for defensive
Adjective
Houston finished as one of the best defensive teams in the NBA this past season, coming in fifth in defensive efficiency.
—Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
Rocky Gibraltar Aries are known to have defensive and fighting abilities like Rocky Gibraltar.
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 18 June 2025
Noun
The Irish have landed five commitments this month, all four-star prospects in the 247Sports Composite: defensive ends Rodney Dunham and Ebenezer Ewetade, receiver Bubba Frazier, offensive lineman Gregory Patrick and defensive back Ayden Pouncey.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
That left voting centers practically empty at times and put officials on the defensive.
—Arkansas Online, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for defensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defensive
guard
Noun
-
Correction officials have blamed the rising population on the fallout from the 22-day state prison guards strike several months ago.—
Graham Rayman,
New York Daily News,
21 June 2025
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The Pacers guard, who’d been playing through an ankle sprain, was sick of hearing about what Indiana had just accomplished.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defensive. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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