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.
The first time Guardiola decided to move Messi away from the wing was for defensive reasons.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
Allowed to innovate, to make battlefield adjustments, and to resist the urge to abandon strong defensive positions, they have imposed devastating casualties on the Russians, who are seriously wanting in tactical agility.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
Through most of the game, the excitement was contained to a pitcher’s duel — a chess game of defensive plays, waiting to see who flinched first.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
That would mean a shaky defensive lineup with the game still on the line in the ninth, with pitchers forced to hit if it went into extra innings.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
The 586th, whose Yak fighters were stationed in western Ukraine until September 1944, had a creepy and sobering experience between defensive flights during the hot summer.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
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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