defensive
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.
A scandal at the Winter Olympics has left the Canadian curling teams on the defensive and Canadians reeling over the crack in their country's polite persona.
From BBC
Rwanda denies supporting M23 and says its troops are in eastern Congo for “defensive measures” against a rebel group formed by Hutu extremists who orchestrated the 1994 genocide in Rwanda before fleeing to Congo.
Concerns about lackluster effort in past All-Star contests were eased in the new format, which produced hustle, defensive effort plus competitive spark and a high-energy hunger to win.
From Barron's
The fact that more value-oriented and defensive sectors like consumer staples have raced ahead isn’t helping.
From MarketWatch
Rice, the far-side midfielder, filled in at defensive midfield, ensuring Arsenal's shape remained similar, only with different players arriving in each zone.
From BBC
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.