Examples Word Origin
See more synonyms for defensive on Thesaurus.com serving to defend; protective: defensive armament. made or carried on for the purpose of resisting attack: defensive treaty; a defensive attitude. of or relating to defense. (of stocks, securities, etc.) able to provide moderately steady growth with minimal risk: The bank has put a large percentage of its assets in defensive rather than growth stocks. considered stable and relatively safe for investment, especially during a decline in the economy. excessively concerned with guarding against the real or imagined threat of criticism, injury to one's ego, or exposure of one's shortcomings. Show More
a position or attitude of defense : to be on the defensive about one's mistakes. Obsolete something that serves to defend . Show More
Origin of defensive 1350–1400; <
Medieval Latin dēfēnsīvus (see
defense ,
-ive ); replacing
Middle English defensif <
Middle French <
Medieval Latin, as above
Related forms de·fen·sive·ly , adverb de·fen·sive·ness , noun non·de·fen·sive , adjective non·de·fen·sive·ly , adverb non·de·fen·sive·ness , noun o·ver·de·fen·sive , adjective o·ver·de·fen·sive·ly , adverb o·ver·de·fen·sive·ness , noun sem·i·de·fen·sive , adjective sem·i·de·fen·sive·ly , adverb sem·i·de·fen·sive·ness , noun un·de·fen·sive , adjective un·de·fen·sive·ly , adverb un·de·fen·sive·ness , noun Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for defensively Contemporary Examples of defensively But in 1998, he sensed the urgency and the utility of taking impeachment on directly—and certainly not defensively .
“That was the decision of the lawyers,” Sharpton says defensively in the Times interview.
The Patriot subset that declines to accept racism continues to cope with the issue unevenly and defensively .
But Boredom, defensively subtitled A Lively History, is in fact a spirited, no-nonsense guide to a surprisingly contentious topic.
“I got them when I was in medical school but I never wore them,” she said, a little too defensively .
Historical Examples of defensively "Well, that happened a good while ago," said Taterleg defensively .
Defensively he crouched, yet the next instant he was overthrown.
The other eyed her defensively and she tried to tidy her hair with hands that shook.
"They're very kind among themselves," Paula said defensively .
Defensively , too, had the rider of the maherry an advantage over his antagonists.
British Dictionary definitions for defensively intended, suitable, or done for defence, as opposed to offence rejecting criticisms of oneself or covering up one's failings Show More
a position of defence on the defensive in an attitude or position of defence, as in being ready to reject criticism Show More
Derived Forms defensively , adverb defensiveness , noun Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for defensively c.1400 (adj. and noun), from French défensif (14c.), from Medieval Latin defensivus , from defens- , past participle stem of Latin defendere (see defend ). Of persons, "alert to reject criticism," from 1919. Related: Defensively ; defensiveness .
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with defensively The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
