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.
Since at least the Obama administration, the U.S. had been largely focused on defensive measures to protect elections, like multifactor authentication and encryption, which make it harder to compromise systems in the first place.
From Salon • May 21, 2026
For all of Arsenal’s control during attacking set pieces, however, it was a defensive set piece that nearly sent them off course.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
And they see “longer-term upside,” given that even as the market slid in March, defensive stocks were underperformers meaning investors were taking that pullback in stride.
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle Steve McMichael, a key member of the Chicago Bears Super Bowl XX champion team, had CTE, a posthumous study shows.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
I'm defensive about everyone in Ollie's supper club before I even knock on the door.
From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse
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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