as in unacceptable
too bad to be excused or justified
the city's lack of preparedness for a major natural disaster was utterly indefensible
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of indefensible
What the Texas Legislature is doing is indefensible – gerrymandering necessarily involves taking portions of the electorate and rendering their voices impotent.
—
Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 20 Aug. 2025
By excluding these benefits, the EPA is effectively assigning no value to American lives saved, an indefensible position for EPA.
—Margo T. Oge, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
This is dangerously anti-democratic and indefensible.
—Larry Hogan, Baltimore Sun, 7 Aug. 2025
Also the most reckless and indefensible.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for indefensible
Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 20 Aug. 2025
By excluding these benefits, the EPA is effectively assigning no value to American lives saved, an indefensible position for EPA.
—Margo T. Oge, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
This is dangerously anti-democratic and indefensible.
—Larry Hogan, Baltimore Sun, 7 Aug. 2025
Also the most reckless and indefensible.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for indefensible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indefensible
Adjective
-
Violence anywhere, especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Other Republicans — especially in the House — see it as an unacceptable expansion of President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, which Republicans have tried to eliminate or cut back since it was enacted 15 years ago.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Other comedians have pointed to the inconsistency of balking at performing in Saudi Arabia when other governments around the world also sponsor morally unjustifiable actions.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The choice to incinerate them is unjustifiable and undermines efforts to protect the health and rights of women and girls.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Chargers committed 14 penalties last week in an inexcusable loss to the New York Giants and rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Having this type of call occur in the final week of the regular season in a game that could alter the playoff picture is simply inexcusable.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Sack Dress was outrageous, really outrageous.—
Sarah Mower,
Vogue,
3 Oct. 2025
-
But Driss has fielded his share of outrageous custom requests.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Conservatives and Republicans in Congress continue to claim that the cost of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits is an insupportable burden on America, so benefits need to be cut, though President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to preserve entitlements like Social Security and Medicare.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Jan. 2025
-
There are people of goodwill who think the way out of this insupportable situation lies in the fight for equal democratic rights in a single state for everyone living in the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.—
Michelle Goldberg,
The Mercury News,
14 Mar. 2024
Adjective
-
Moreover, the fact that Ms. Presley chooses to make heartless and ridiculous statements about Area 51 and Bigfoot, making a mockery of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s death and his only daughter’s death, is shameful, disappointing and unforgivable.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
This version — in which Eli Manning serves as executive producer along with Omaha Productions’ Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Ben Brown and ESPN — picks up eight years after an unforgivable mistake nukes the promising football career of hotshot quarterback Russ Holliday (Powell).—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
If Sam is wrong, his journalistic sin is unpardonable.—
Neal B. Freeman,
National Review,
13 May 2025
-
Attacking innocent citizens, in this case tourists, is utterly appalling and unpardonable.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The worry with a dog like Chey is the fact they could be locked in a vicious cycle.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The show follows Ed Gein (Charlie Hunnam), an unassuming and odd man, working his family’s farm under the watchful eye of his hateful and vicious mother, Augusta (Laurie Metcalf).—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Indefensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indefensible. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share