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.
“Every position matters. So, I was trying to make plays and not only offense, but on the defensive side. And rebound, and all that. So, that’s what I was doing.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 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
That leaves Baltimore with an elite talent on the defensive line—along with both of the first-round picks that they were set to send to Las Vegas.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
However, with major patents set to expire in 2028, Merck must be on the defensive.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
Realize that you can only stay on the defensive for so long—eventually, you have to take a stand.
From "Fish in a Tree" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
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.
