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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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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Recent Examples of defensible
Local fire districts preached the opposite: Maintain a defensible space around your home, clear pine straw, trees and shrubs to reduce fire risk.
—
Calmatters, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025
But mitigating those risks — adding a defensible space around the home, for example, or ember-safe attic vents — could make homeowners eligible for discounts on premiums.
—Ron Lieber, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025
Fire can consume even the most defensible house, but if everyone designs less flammably, the whole neighborhood is less likely to go, Emily Schlickman, a fire-resiliency researcher at UC Davis, told me.
—Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2025
Residents can use the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Ready for Wildfire web page to learn how to prepare for fire season; create and maintain defensible space and home hardening strategies; develop evacuation plans and plans for returning home after a wildfire.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defensible
Calmatters, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025
But mitigating those risks — adding a defensible space around the home, for example, or ember-safe attic vents — could make homeowners eligible for discounts on premiums.
—Ron Lieber, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025
Fire can consume even the most defensible house, but if everyone designs less flammably, the whole neighborhood is less likely to go, Emily Schlickman, a fire-resiliency researcher at UC Davis, told me.
—Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2025
Residents can use the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Ready for Wildfire web page to learn how to prepare for fire season; create and maintain defensible space and home hardening strategies; develop evacuation plans and plans for returning home after a wildfire.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defensible
Cite this Entry
“Defensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defensible. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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