defensive

[ dih-fen-siv ]

/ dɪˈfɛn sɪv /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR defensive ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

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, adverb de·fen·sive·ness, noun non·de·fen·sive, adjective non·de·fen·sive·ly, adverb

non·de·fen·sive·ness, noun o·ver·de·fen·sive, adjective o·ver·de·fen·sive·ly, adverb o·ver·de·fen·sive·ness, noun sem·i·de·fen·sive, adjective sem·i·de·fen·sive·ly, adverb sem·i·de·fen·sive·ness, noun un·de·fen·sive, adjective un·de·fen·sive·ly, adverb un·de·fen·sive·ness, noun

Words nearby defensive

defenestration, defense, defense mechanism, defenseman, defensible, defensive, defensive back, defensive circle, defensive driving, defensive medicine, defer

Example sentences from the Web for defensive

And I need to ask why their truth makes me so defensive, as if my truth is the only truth.

In 2015, Let’s Try for More Compassion |Gene Robinson |January 4, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
Community activists attack racial bias in policing, so police get defensive?

The St. Louis Rams Enter the Ferguson Fray |Sally Kohn |December 1, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Nelson wrote a paper at Dartmouth on Standard Oil, which was about as defensive and as deeply researched as you would expect.

This Republican Loved Taxes & Modern Art |Scott Porch |November 19, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
I am, as the leader of the minority, the defensive coordinator.

Mitch McConnell’s Big Day: A Turtle Suns Himself |Olivia Nuzzi |November 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

On the staff of every football team, you have an offensive coordinator and a defensive coordinator.

Mitch McConnell’s Big Day: A Turtle Suns Himself |Olivia Nuzzi |November 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The latter does not belong to this class in which are to be grouped only such as practically bear a defensive character.

Criminal Psychology |Hans Gross
Besides his defensive armor, he is an ugly customer in attack.

American Big-Game Hunting |Various
Even their inferiors were of value in a defensive position, however useless for offensive purposes.

Poitiers |Hilaire Belloc
They say the creature is wont to do this when he sees a man stand on the defensive; he tries to blind him with snow.

Eyes Like the Sea |Mr Jkai
Their defensive body-armour consisted of a coat of mail composed of bronze or iron scales, and called the lriga or perpunte.

The Arts and Crafts of Older Spain, Volume I (of 3) |Leonard Williams

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, adverb defensiveness, noun

Idioms and Phrases with defensive

defensive

see on the defensive.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

defensive

adjective

noun

Origin of defensive

OTHER WORDS FROM defensive

Words nearby defensive

Example sentences from the Web for defensive

British Dictionary definitions for defensive

adjective

noun

Derived forms of defensive

Idioms and Phrases with defensive

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

defensive

adjective

noun

Origin of defensive

OTHER WORDS FROM defensive

Words nearby defensive

Words related to defensive

Example sentences from the Web for defensive

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for defensive

adjective

noun

Derived forms of defensive

Idioms and Phrases with defensive

British Dictionary definitions for defensive