on the defensive
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But to nearly everyone’s astonishment, Mr. Niemann, the 19-year-old John McEnroe of chess, has put the normally unflappable Mr. Carlsen, playing the white pieces, on the defensive.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
He’s staying on the defensive until oil flows normalize, betting on companies with strong balance sheets and those involved in the AI infrastructure buildout, such as John Deere, Caterpillar, and HVAC-maker Johnson Controls.
From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026
OpenAI’s top executives are finalizing plans for a major strategy shift to refocus the company around coding and business users, recognizing that a “do everything all at once” strategy has put them on the defensive.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026
“It just showed a lot of her mental toughness that, when we needed her the most, she was going to be there for us on the defensive end and on the rebounding end.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026
Mac had studied law and was adept at putting the authorities on the defensive.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
