defensive
quick to protect oneself from criticism
showing that you feel someone is attacking or blaming you, and you try hard to protect yourself with words or behavior
[someone] is defensive about [something]
- Whenever anyone questions his work, he gets very defensive.
- She sounded defensive when I asked about the missed deadline.
- Instead of being defensive, he listened carefully to the feedback.
- Her defensive tone made it hard to continue the conversation.
- He grew defensive about his parenting style during the discussion.
- He becomes defensive when people talk about his job.
- She was defensive and said, "It’s not my fault."
- Try not to be defensive when your boss gives advice.
- My brother gets defensive if you ask about his grades.
- Her defensive answer showed she felt attacked.
intended to protect from attack
made or done to protect someone or something from attack, danger, or harm, not to attack first
defensive [system/measure/strategy]
- The country insists that its missiles are purely defensive.
- They strengthened their defensive measures after the cyberattack.
- The new software includes several defensive features against hacking.
- We adopted a defensive strategy to protect our market share.
- The castle’s defensive walls were designed to resist long sieges.
- The army built a defensive wall around the city.
- These tools are defensive and only protect the computer.
- They took defensive steps to keep the data safe.
- The company’s plan is defensive, not aggressive.
- This is a defensive move to stop future attacks.
related to stopping the opponent
in sports, about players or actions that try to stop the other team from scoring points
defensive [player/strategy/play]
- Their defensive line was the strongest part of the team.
- The coach switched to a more defensive strategy after they took the lead.
- He is known as one of the best defensive players in the league.
- We need to improve our defensive skills if we want to win.
- They played very defensive football in the second half.
- She is a defensive player on the basketball team.
- The team used a defensive plan to keep their lead.
- His defensive skills helped stop many goals.
- They played a defensive game and won 1–0.
- The coach wants the team to be more defensive today.
relatively safe in bad markets
in finance, describing a type of stock or business that usually stays safer and loses less money when the economy is bad
defensive [stock/sector/investment]
- Investors moved their money into defensive stocks during the recession.
- Utilities are often seen as a defensive sector.
- She prefers a defensive portfolio to protect her savings.
- Defensive shares outperformed the broader market in the downturn.
- Analysts recommend a more defensive position ahead of potential market volatility.
- Many people buy defensive stocks when they are afraid of a crash.
- A defensive sector often does well in bad times.
- He chose a defensive investment to protect his money.
- Defensive shares may fall less when the market is weak.
- Some investors like a defensive plan for retirement.
- Base: defensive
be on the defensive
1be in a position of defending
to be in a situation where you must defend yourself against attack, criticism, or pressure instead of acting freely or attacking
- After the report was published, the company was on the defensive for weeks.
- The politician found herself on the defensive over her tax plans.
- He was on the defensive throughout the interview and never went on the attack.
defensive driving
1careful, risk-aware driving style
driving carefully and watching other drivers so you can avoid accidents, even if they make mistakes
- New drivers are encouraged to take a defensive driving course.
- Defensive driving can significantly reduce your chances of an accident.
- He credits his defensive driving habits with keeping him safe for thirty years.
defensive medicine
1extra treatment to avoid lawsuits
medical treatment where doctors order many tests or treatments mainly to protect themselves from legal problems, not just to help the patient
- Some doctors say they practice defensive medicine because they fear lawsuits.
- Defensive medicine can drive up healthcare costs.
- The report argues that defensive medicine is common in high-risk specialties.
defensive posture
1protective stance or attitude
a way of behaving or a military position that focuses on protecting and not attacking
- The country has adopted a purely defensive posture along its borders.
- The company is moving from a defensive posture to a growth strategy.
- His defensive posture during the meeting made open discussion difficult.
defensive programming
1coding to anticipate errors
writing computer programs in a careful way that checks for many possible errors, so the program does not break easily
- Defensive programming can make your code more reliable.
- The team uses defensive programming techniques to handle bad input.
- He gave a talk on defensive programming in large systems.
defensive tackle
1American football defensive position
a player in American football who plays on the defensive line and tries to stop the other team’s plays near the middle
- He was drafted as a defensive tackle in the first round.
- The defensive tackle broke through the line and sacked the quarterback.
- They signed a veteran defensive tackle to strengthen the defense.
put [someone] on the defensive
1force someone to defend themselves
to make someone feel that they must defend themselves against attack or criticism instead of acting freely
- The reporter’s tough question put the minister on the defensive.
- Her direct email put the manager on the defensive from the start.
- They tried to put us on the defensive by questioning our numbers.