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.
On Thursday, the pastor published a defensive blog post about the war and his church’s proximity to it.
From Salon • Apr. 10, 2026
De Zerbi's approach requires defensive players to take responsibility with the ball - delaying actions until they have forced opponents to press them.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
In a “risk-on” market, investors rush to buy up stocks that had been especially beaten down during prior bouts of defensive posturing, noted Cantor Fitzgerald’s C.J.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026
“Following their training, our officers fired defensive shots to protect themselves, their fellow agents and the public.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
To the Soviet leadership, put on the defensive by Reagan's belligerent rhetoric and by the suspicious information collected by Operation RYaN, the maneuvers seemed terrifyingly real.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
Vocabulary lists containing defensive
ASVAB Word Knowledge
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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Tone and Point of View, List 1
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