defensive

[ dih-fen-siv ]

/ dɪˈfɛn sɪv /

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adjective

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.

noun

a position or attitude of defense: to be on the defensive about one's mistakes.

Obsolete. something that serves to defend.

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Origin of defensive

1350–1400; <Medieval Latin dēfēnsīvus (see defense, -ive); replacing Middle English defensif<Middle French <Medieval Latin, as above

OTHER WORDS FROM defensive

de·fen·sive·ly, adverbde·fen·sive·ness, nounnon·de·fen·sive, adjectivenon·de·fen·sive·ly, adverb

non·de·fen·sive·ness, nouno·ver·de·fen·sive, adjectiveo·ver·de·fen·sive·ly, adverbo·ver·de·fen·sive·ness, nounsem·i·de·fen·sive, adjectivesem·i·de·fen·sive·ly, adverbsem·i·de·fen·sive·ness, nounun·de·fen·sive, adjectiveun·de·fen·sive·ly, adverbun·de·fen·sive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use defensive in a sentence

After setting an NBA record for offensive efficiency with Luka Dončić running the show, Dallas badly needed some defensive grit.
The Upsides And Downsides Of The NBA’s Five Biggest Trades So Far|Chris Herring (chris.herring@fivethirtyeight.com)|November 19, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Eberflus, who had been considered the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive-coordinator-in-waiting under Rod Marinelli, brought a flavor of Marinelli’s Tampa 2 scheme north with him.
The Indianapolis Colts Finally Built A Defensive Monster|Ty Schalter|November 19, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
The Cleveland Cavaliers selected defensive-minded forward Isaac Okoro out of Auburn with the fifth pick.
On quiet night for NBA draft lottery selections, Anthony Edwards goes No. 1 to Timberwolves|Ben Golliver, Des Bieler|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
The Raiders had placed defensive Clelin Ferrell and cornerback Lamarcus Joyner on the list Tuesday.
NFL toughens its coronavirus protocols as several Raiders players are placed in quarantine|Mark Maske|November 18, 2020|Washington Post

Since the season began, City added former Benfica center back Rúben Dias to shore up its flaky defensive line.
Liverpool And Manchester City Look Ordinary. Are They?|Terrence Doyle|November 12, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Yet Manhattan has none of the defensiveness that seems to be peeking around the corners of this film.
He’s Still Older, Even in the Moonlight: Woody Allen’s May-December Romances Inspire Scrutiny|Teo Bugbee|July 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Back to The Knocks, still awash in denial and defensiveness.
Daft Punk Mystery Solved!*|Winston Ross|June 6, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Any Jew who tries to justify this attack or the apathy expressed by the bystanders is suffering from pathological defensiveness.
Violence and Discourse: A Response to Yousef Munayer|Don Futterman|August 30, 2012|DAILY BEAST
It spoke of insecurity rather than control, defensiveness instead of dynamism.
Jennifer Lopez’s Fashion Blunder at American Music Awards|Robin Givhan|November 21, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Then read the mountains of judgment, scorn, bragging, critiquing, and defensiveness that each debate seems to produce.
You're Pregnant, Have a Drink|Kate Tuttle|October 6, 2010|DAILY BEAST
The directness of his challenge was startling, and roused in her a belated defensiveness.
The Twins of Suffering Creek|Ridgwell Cullum
But she had by instinct a wary defensiveness, and she was on constant guard.
A Pagan of the Hills|Charles Neville Buck

British Dictionary definitions for defensive

defensive

/ (dɪˈfɛnsɪv) /

adjective

intended, suitable, or done for defence, as opposed to offence

rejecting criticisms of oneself or covering up one's failings

noun

a position of defence

on the defensive in an attitude or position of defence, as in being ready to reject criticism

Derived forms of defensive

defensively, adverbdefensiveness, noun

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with defensive

defensive

see on the defensive.

defensive

Origin of defensive

OTHER WORDS FROM defensive

Words related to defensive

How to use defensive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for defensive

Derived forms of defensive

Other Idioms and Phrases with defensive