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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defensive
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
Sienna Betts failed to corral a defensive rebound before fouling Grace Schmidt, and then lost the ball to Schmidt in the backcourt on the ensuing possession.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
So far, Gulf states have been on the defensive.
—Tareq Alotaiba, semafor.com, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defensive
Adjective
Devers and Eldridge are an imperfect duo, a pair of left-handed hitting sluggers with minimal defensive versatility.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
Sienna Betts failed to corral a defensive rebound before fouling Grace Schmidt, and then lost the ball to Schmidt in the backcourt on the ensuing possession.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
Noun
And by then the caller is sufficiently on the defensive.
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
So far, Gulf states have been on the defensive.
—Tareq Alotaiba, semafor.com, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defensive
Adjective
-
This acts as a protective barrier against environmental damage.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Wear specialized gloves and other protective gear to protect yourself when dealing with radiation.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Furthermore, the complex is set to go back on the market, a pending sale that caught tenants off guard.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Witten Van Hoy, Wesley Harvey and Samir Camacho all stood out physically and will have a chance to compete with some older veterans like transfer guards Jaheim Buchanon and Noah McKinney.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defensive. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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