defensive
/dɪˈfɛnsɪv/
defensive
📚 Meanings
- 1.
showing a desire to protect yourself from criticism or attack.
"He got defensive when I asked him about the missing money."
Remember this word forever
Add it to your Smoveth vocabulary for scientifically spaced reviews
💬 Examples
He became defensive when asked about the mistake.
He became defensive when asked about the mistake.
Don't take it personally; she gets defensive about her cooking.
Don't take it personally; she gets defensive about her cooking.
The company's defensive strategy aimed to protect its market share.
...
More examples available
Sign up to see all example sentences
Sign in to share your feedback
Share this word
🎯 How to study this word effectively
Add to vocabulary
SRS algorithm guides you to review at the optimal time
AI image learning
Visually memorize the meaning of words
Pronunciation practice
Practice accurate pronunciation with TTS
Use in examples
Use the word in real contexts
defensive - translations in 14 languages
Words to learn together
Collections that include "defensive"
Frequently asked about defensive
How do you pronounce defensive?
defensive is pronounced [/dɪˈfɛnsɪv/]. You can hear a native pronunciation on Smoveth.
What does defensive mean?
defensive means "defensive". See the meanings and examples higher up on the page for the full picture.
How difficult is defensive?
defensive is a Elementary-level word.
Can you give an example sentence with defensive?
Example: "He became defensive when asked about the mistake." — used to mean "defensive".
Master English with Smoveth
Learn this word with AI images and remember it with science-backed review.
AI image learning
Remember intuitively with an AI-generated image for each word.
SRS smart review
Move vocabulary into long-term memory with spaced repetition.
Random word practice
Practice freely with level-based random words.
"I used to struggle with English, but it's amazing to gradually start understanding" — L*J
Save up to 500 words/sentences for free + AI generation credits