Synonyms for defensive
dɪˈfɛn sɪvde·fen·sive

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. defensive, defensive attitudeadjective

   an attitude of defensiveness (especially in the phrase `on the defensive')

   Synonyms:
   defensive attitude

   Antonyms:
   tip-and-run, unapologetic, predatory, antipersonnel, on the offensive(p), invading, attacking(a), marauding, incursive, hit-and-run, assaultive, offensive, invasive, raiding

2. defensiveadjective

   intended or appropriate for defending against or deterring aggression or attack

   "defensive weapons"; "a defensive stance"

   Synonyms:
   justificative, justificatory

   Antonyms:
   incursive, offensive, antipersonnel, invading, predatory, attacking(a), invasive, tip-and-run, on the offensive(p), assaultive, unapologetic, raiding, hit-and-run, marauding

3. defensive, justificative, justificatoryadjective

   attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing

   Synonyms:
   justificative, vindicatory, justificatory

   Antonyms:
   antipersonnel, offensive, predatory, incursive, on the offensive(p), marauding, invasive, attacking(a), unapologetic, raiding, assaultive, tip-and-run, hit-and-run, invading

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "defensive":

   defense, defence

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How to use defensive in a sentence?

1. Kenneth Davidson:

   You could then attack defensive targets, those heavily defended or the time-critical targets in a very timely manner — if it’s a moving target, before it can move, and then ultimately, these would have a sensor so that they can track a moved target — not necessarily something that is moving, but if the target moves or it gets into the area, they can see the target and hit it very, very accurately.

2. Karen Hiatt:

   I think what we're going to see through the end of the year is a refocus on oil and commodities, the market is still continuing to want to migrate toward more defensive, more visible earnings-type companies or sectors.

3. John Kasich:

   I served on a hospital board that has 55 hospitals around the country. I did my duty well and I made it clear that I was opposed to Obamacare and that it didn't serve the best views of the country. I didn't profit off of it, john's problem is that he embraced Obamacare, thought it was right for Ohio ... he was proud of it before, not sure why he is so defensive of it now.

4. State Antony Blinken:

   But it's also important to have in mind that the Ukrainians should be able to defend themselves and we provided significant security assistance, defensive, non-lethal security assistance to Ukraine to do just that.

5. President Obama:

   It is true that if in fact diplomacy fails, what I've asked my team to do is look at all options, the possibility of lethal defensive weapons is one of those options that's being examined.