adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of defensible
1250–1300; Middle English < Late Latin defēnsibilis, equivalent to Latin defēns ( us ) ( see defense) + -ibilis -ible; replacing Middle English defensable < Old French < Late Latin defēnsābilis, equivalent to defēnsā ( re ) (frequentative of dēfendere to defend ) + -bilis -ble
Explanation
Something that's defensible is excusable — you can defend it or justify it. Mistaking your friend for her twin sister, as awkward as it may be, is a defensible blunder. In politics, there are often issues to which some people object strongly, while others argue that they're completely defensible positions. You may believe it's defensible to wage war in some circumstances, while your pacifist friend thinks it's never okay to kill for any reason. Defensible comes from an Old French root, defendre, "defend or resist," from the Latin root defendere, "guard or protect."
Vocabulary lists containing defensible
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Indeed, the hospital’s attempt to litigate this case in Rhode Island—where it is located—is far more defensible than the DOJ’s efforts to drag the fight to Fort Worth, 1,750 miles away.
From Slate • May 19, 2026
Buying Nvidia here is perfectly defensible, but anyone who wants a name that could outperform other chip names or the market by leaps and bounds might want to look elsewhere.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
For a pitcher under contract to the Dodgers through 2035, it is certainly defensible in the short and the long term.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
For Nebius, Liani believes the company’s distributed virtualization layer, which connects GPUs across multiple locations to create a unified cluster, is a “structural long-term differentiator and one of the company’s most defensible advantages.”
From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026
“We need to go and speak to the sheriff, convince him to barricade the town before it’s overrun. Consolidate everyone into a few defensible buildings. We’re too vulnerable, waiting for the next attack.”
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
