defensive

Meanings

1. 1adjectivenot comparable

   Quick to protect oneself against criticism or perceived threat, often overly so.

   Grammar: Not usually used with 'more' or 'most'; you can say 'very defensive'.

   Patterns

   • be defensive about something
   • get defensive
   • sound defensive

   He became defensive when I asked about his mistake.

   She gets defensive whenever someone mentions her driving.

   There's no need to be so defensive; I'm just trying to help.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nounsportmilitary

   Intended to protect against attack or to stop the other team from scoring.

   Grammar: Used before a noun: defensive strategy, defensive position.

   Patterns

   • defensive strategy
   • defensive position
   • defensive player

   The team adopted a defensive strategy to protect their lead.

   They built defensive walls around the city.

   He is a defensive player who rarely scores.

Word forms

Common combinations

defensive about

She is very defensive about her age.

defensive driving

Defensive driving can prevent accidents.

on the defensive

After the scandal, the company was on the defensive.

defensive mechanism

Sarcasm can be a defensive mechanism.

Synonyms and how they differ

protective

Protective focuses on keeping someone safe; defensive often implies reacting to criticism or attack.

guarded

Guarded means careful not to reveal feelings; defensive suggests a stronger, more emotional reaction.

Opposites

Word family

defend verb

To protect or argue for.

defense noun

The act of protecting; (US) the team trying to stop the other from scoring.

defensively adverb

In a defensive manner.

defensiveness noun

The quality of being defensive.

Commonly confused: defensive or defensible?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “defensive”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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