defensible

[dih-fen-suh-buhl]

See more synonyms for defensible on Thesaurus.com

adjective

capable of being defended against assault or injury: The troops were bivouacked in a defensible position.
that can be defended in argument; justifiable.

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

Related formsde·fen·si·bil·i·ty, de·fen·si·ble·ness, nounde·fen·si·bly, adverbnon·de·fen·si·bil·i·ty, nounnon·de·fen·si·ble, adjectivenon·de·fen·si·ble·ness, nounnon·de·fen·si·bly, adverbun·de·fen·si·ble, adjectiveun·de·fen·si·ble·ness, nounun·de·fen·si·bly, adverb

Synonyms

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com

2. suitable, fit, tenable, allowable, warrantable.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for defensible

Contemporary Examples

He also believed, as a matter of political prudence, that the commercials had to be defensible on matters of fact.
David Garth, the Consultant Who Talked Up to Voters
Jeff Greenfield
December 15, 2014
The change could be defensible, but Justice Stevens does not offer any detailed defense of this change.
Change the Constitution in Six Easy Steps? It Won’t Be That Simple, Justice Stevens
Richard L. Hasen
April 20, 2014
This decision was, in many ways, brave (not just in the Sir Humphrey sense) and defensible, but it came at a price.
Politics Across the Pond
Justin Green
November 30, 2012
You may quibble with any of these choices, but as tax subsidies go, they are the most defensible.
Romney's Makers and Takers
Megan McArdle
September 18, 2012
The reason I carry around the (defensible, I tell myself) spare tire that I do is cheese.
The Freedom to Be Fat? The Politics of Movie Popcorn, Obama, and the FDA
Michael Tomasky
April 8, 2012

Historical Examples

Knoxville at this time was by no means in a defensible condition.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 18, No. 105, July 1866
Various
The pasturing of orchards is often defensible and sometimes even desirable.
The Apple-Tree
L. H. Bailey
I have done many things in my political career that are not defensible.
Democracy An American Novel
Henry Adams
This attitude toward life is defensible on the highest grounds.
Washington Irving
Charles Dudley Warner
Of course, this rock of Orvieto is the most defensible position in Italy.
The Saracen: The Holy War
Robert Shea

British Dictionary definitions for defensible

defensible

adjective

capable of being defended, as in war, an argument, etc

Derived Formsdefensibility or defensibleness, noundefensibly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for defensible

adj.

late 13c., from Old French defensable, from Late Latin defensibilem, from Latin defens-, past participle stem of defendere (see defend).

defensible

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}defensible

Synonyms

Related Words

Examples from the Web for defensible

Contemporary Examples

He also believed, as a matter of political prudence, that the commercials had to be defensible on matters of fact.

The change could be defensible, but Justice Stevens does not offer any detailed defense of this change.

This decision was, in many ways, brave (not just in the Sir Humphrey sense) and defensible, but it came at a price.

You may quibble with any of these choices, but as tax subsidies go, they are the most defensible.

The reason I carry around the (defensible, I tell myself) spare tire that I do is cheese.

Historical Examples

Knoxville at this time was by no means in a defensible condition.

The pasturing of orchards is often defensible and sometimes even desirable.

I have done many things in my political career that are not defensible.

This attitude toward life is defensible on the highest grounds.

Of course, this rock of Orvieto is the most defensible position in Italy.

defensible

Word Origin and History for defensible

adj.

Origin of defensible