defensible

adjective

di-ˈfen(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce defensible (audio)
Definition of defensiblenext
1
as in defendable
capable of being defended against physical attack the pioneers retreated to a defensible hillside to take a stand against the raiders

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justifiable
capable of being defended with good reasoning against verbal attack there's simply no defensible reason for dropping out of school

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of defensible Deliberate validation of architecture, data integrity, ethics and customer input builds reliability and defensible moats. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 At the individual-home scale, home hardening and creating defensible space around homes can reduce the probability of a fire reaching the home. — John Abatzoglou, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026 How to prepare for wildfire evacuations Cal Fire recommends maintaining at least 100 feet of defensible space around homes by clearing vegetation and other combustible materials that could fuel a wildfire. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 27 July 2026 Sometimes those numbers even make things marginally better – or at the very least more defensible. — Marta Balaga, Variety, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for defensible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defensible
  1. defendable
  2. justifiable
  3. defended
  4. protected
  5. secured
Adjective
  • Even if maritime regulators demanded shippers purchase more defendable vessels, the crews aboard are unready for the challenge.
    — Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The safe, defendable choice wasn’t necessarily the right one though.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of defendable
Adjective
  • There may be justifiable reasons for those teams to avoid the Red Raiders, including some residual frustration and anger over the handling of the Brandon Sorsby situation.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The Fort Worth Independence Day shooting that killed one near Lake Arlington is being investigated as a justifiable homicide, according to a police report.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
Definition of justifiable
Adjective
  • The line of four large and heavily defended cities, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) long, has been key to denying Moscow its goal of seizing Ukraine's industrial heartland.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than flying directly over heavily defended targets, bombers carrying the AGM-181A are expected to launch the missile from long distances outside the engagement range of sophisticated enemy air defenses.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026
Definition of defended
Adjective
  • By the 1980s, only 375 pairs were counted, prompting the state to place the bird in protected status in 1983, citing habitat loss to housing development and agriculture.
    — Bay City News, Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • For example, Paris has an aesthetic aversion to window units and rooftop HVAC systems, which helps explain why installing air-conditioning typically requires special permission from authorities, especially in protected or historic areas.
    — Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Definition of protected
Adjective
  • Visibility into secured power (turbines, not grid), confirmed land/building locations and an exclusive partnership with NVDA gives confidence in capacity roadmap through YE27.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Lindsey Graham always had a deep appreciation for earpieces, motorcades, and heavily secured environments.
    — Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
Definition of secured

Browse Nearby Words

defenses
defensible
defensive
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Cite this Entry

“Defensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defensible. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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