on the 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.

He’s staying on the defensive until oil flows normalize, betting on companies with strong balance sheets and those involved in the AI infrastructure buildout, such as John Deere, Caterpillar, and HVAC-maker Johnson Controls.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

OpenAI’s top executives are finalizing plans for a major strategy shift to refocus the company around coding and business users, recognizing that a “do everything all at once” strategy has put them on the defensive.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

“It just showed a lot of her mental toughness that, when we needed her the most, she was going to be there for us on the defensive end and on the rebounding end.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

That leaves Baltimore with an elite talent on the defensive line—along with both of the first-round picks that they were set to send to Las Vegas.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

‘Not what you'd, call much.’Johnny felt on the defensive.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes