Synonyms for defensive
dɪˈfɛn sɪvde·fen·sive

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. defensive, defensive attitudeadjective

   an attitude of defensiveness (especially in the phrase `on the defensive')

   Synonyms:
   defensive attitude

   Antonyms:
   tip-and-run, unapologetic, predatory, antipersonnel, on the offensive(p), invading, attacking(a), marauding, incursive, hit-and-run, assaultive, offensive, invasive, raiding

2. defensiveadjective

   intended or appropriate for defending against or deterring aggression or attack

   "defensive weapons"; "a defensive stance"

   Synonyms:
   justificative, justificatory

   Antonyms:
   incursive, offensive, antipersonnel, invading, predatory, attacking(a), invasive, tip-and-run, on the offensive(p), assaultive, unapologetic, raiding, hit-and-run, marauding

3. defensive, justificative, justificatoryadjective

   attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing

   Synonyms:
   justificative, vindicatory, justificatory

   Antonyms:
   antipersonnel, offensive, predatory, incursive, on the offensive(p), marauding, invasive, attacking(a), unapologetic, raiding, assaultive, tip-and-run, hit-and-run, invading

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "defensive":

   defense, defence

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How to use defensive in a sentence?

1. Jaylen Clark:

   I’m finally starting to find my shot, but I was focused on the defensive side guarding (Washington State’s Michael) Flowers and letting the offensive side take care of itself.

2. Martin Kaymer:

   At the U.S. Open I really played my own game, I didn’t compare myself to the other players, I was trying to see how low I could play and I stayed aggressive, you’re playing well, so you need to continue and not play more defensive.

3. Scott Mather:

   The Total Return Fund's outperformance came from several areas related to our themes of economic and monetary policy divergence around the world, including a more defensive stance with respect to credit.

4. Bill Hemmer:

   We’ve got other guys like Sam Hubbard, defensive end, he was born and bred in Cincinnati … Our punter, Kevin Huber went to [University of] Cincinnati. We drafted Jackson Carman, he’s from Fairfield, Ohio, 45 minutes up the road, there are some cool local ties on this team to the city and the state itself.

5. James Clapper:

   Based on the pace and scope of construction at these outposts, China will be able to deploy a range of offensive and defensive military capabilities and support increased PLAN and CCG presence beginning in 2016, once these facilities are completed by the end of 2016 or early 2017, China will have significant capacity to quickly project substantial offensive military power to the region.