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Synonyms

on the defensive

Idioms  

  1. Prepared for withstanding aggression or attack, as in The debate team's plan was to keep their opponents on the defensive, or This teacher put students on the defensive about their mistakes. [c. 1600]

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.

Chesney mostly coached on the defensive side of the ball in his early stints as an assistant, rising to defensive coordinator at Johns Hopkins.

From Los Angeles Times

“If you start by saying ‘You never thanked me for all the work I did,’ that puts the person on the defensive,” he added.

From MarketWatch

“And we definitely were aggressive tonight. On the defensive side of the ball, on the offensive side of the ball, and obviously on special teams.”

From Los Angeles Times

On the defensive side of the ball, he has made big strides - he double defends really well and wants to have an impact.

From BBC

Still, some of her teammates contend she was even better on the defensive end.

From Los Angeles Times

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.