defensives

noun

plural of defensive
as in guards
a position of readiness to oppose actual or expected attack their unexpectedly harsh words put him on the defensive

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 defensives The selling in recent days, however, has intensified on worries about the AI trade, making the likes of Micron among our biggest losers week-to-date and defensives such as Cardinal Health among our biggest weekly winners. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defensives
  1. guards
  2. lookouts
Noun
  • The fan guards inside the walk-in cooler had accumulated dust.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The original 1971 experiment was conducted by psychology professor Philip Zimbardo, who arbitrarily split volunteers into two groups—inmates and guards—and observed how power corrupted them.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of guards
Noun
  • The president’s plan announced Tuesday night would focus on releasing people who were considered gang collaborators, a blanket term that can include anyone from gang lookouts to people who make extortion payments.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Closer still to the falls, the mist is heavy enough to drench the sightseers stopping to gawk at the spectacle from viewing points, or on slippery pathways between the various lookouts.
    — Charukesi Ramadurai, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of lookouts

Browse Nearby Words

defensive
defensives
defer
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Cite this Entry

“Defensives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defensives. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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