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
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
Third, if you do confront the team, you need conflict-management skills: How will you approach the problem without putting people on the defensive?
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026
PayPal, the fintech payments platform, has been on the defensive, down 45% from its most recent 52-week high, even after a 6% pop Monday on takeover speculation.
From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026
“No—not sneaking—” Now Lily was on the defensive.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
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.
