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
She’s stocked up on water, cleared vegetation and created a buffer of defensible space around the property.
—
Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2024
But a combination of building materials and defensible space can resist a wildfire under the right conditions and importantly, break the chain of fire spreading from house to house.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 17 Sep. 2024
Crews began chipping operations near the Old Highway 87, cutting vegetation to create a more defensible area for firefighters.
—Vivian Barrett, The Arizona Republic, 1 Aug. 2024
Purchasing or building property in hazard areas can come with certain requirements, such as the need to maintain defensible space or conduct annual brush clearance.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for defensible 
Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2024
But a combination of building materials and defensible space can resist a wildfire under the right conditions and importantly, break the chain of fire spreading from house to house.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 17 Sep. 2024
Crews began chipping operations near the Old Highway 87, cutting vegetation to create a more defensible area for firefighters.
—Vivian Barrett, The Arizona Republic, 1 Aug. 2024
Purchasing or building property in hazard areas can come with certain requirements, such as the need to maintain defensible space or conduct annual brush clearance.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for defensible
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Cite this Entry
“Defensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defensible. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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