defensive
serving to defend; protective: defensive armament.
made or carried on for the purpose of resisting attack: defensive treaty;a defensive attitude.
of or relating to defense.
(of stocks, securities, etc.)
able to provide moderately steady growth with minimal risk: The bank has put a large percentage of its assets in defensive rather than growth stocks.
considered stable and relatively safe for investment, especially during a decline in the economy.
excessively concerned with guarding against the real or imagined threat of criticism, injury to one's ego, or exposure of one's shortcomings.
a position or attitude of defense: to be on the defensive about one's mistakes.
Obsolete. something that serves to defend.
Origin of defensive
1Other words from defensive
- de·fen·sive·ly, adverb
- de·fen·sive·ness, noun
- non·de·fen·sive, adjective
- non·de·fen·sive·ly, adverb
- o·ver·de·fen·sive, adjective
- o·ver·de·fen·sive·ly, adverb
- sem·i·de·fen·sive, adjective
- sem·i·de·fen·sive·ly, adverb
- un·de·fen·sive, adjective
- un·de·fen·sive·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for defensive
/ (dɪˈfɛnsɪv) /
intended, suitable, or done for defence, as opposed to offence
rejecting criticisms of oneself or covering up one's failings
a position of defence
on the defensive in an attitude or position of defence, as in being ready to reject criticism
Derived forms of defensive
- defensively, adverb
- defensiveness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with defensive
see on the defensive.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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