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 came in and does what we all know he’s very capable of doing and being disruptive on the defensive end, crashing the glass, getting extra possessions for us, all of which we desperately needed. You know what I mean? So his spark off the bench was huge for us.”

From Los Angeles Times

The scandal has seized headlines and put Gov. Tim Walz, seeking a third term, on the defensive.

From The Wall Street Journal

Clark was also a force on the defensive end, blocking two shots and drawing two offensive fouls on the Huskies.

From Los Angeles Times

Chesney mostly coached on the defensive side of the ball in his early stints as an assistant, rising to defensive coordinator at Johns Hopkins.

From Los Angeles Times

“If you start by saying ‘You never thanked me for all the work I did,’ that puts the person on the defensive,” he added.

From MarketWatch