defensible

American  

[dih-fen-suh-buhl] / dɪˈfɛn sə bəl /

adjective

1. capable of being defended against assault or injury.

   The troops were bivouacked in a defensible position.

2. that can be defended in argument; justifiable.

   Synonyms:

   warrantable, allowable, tenable, fit, suitable

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defensible British  

/ dɪˈfɛnsɪbəl /

adjective

1. capable of being defended, as in war, an argument, etc

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Other Word Forms

• defensibility noun
• defensibleness noun
• defensibly adverb
• nondefensibility noun
• nondefensible adjective
• nondefensibleness noun
• nondefensibly adverb
• undefensible adjective
• undefensibleness noun
• undefensibly adverb

Etymology

Origin of defensible

1250–1300; Middle English < Late Latin defēnsibilis, equivalent to Latin defēns ( us ) ( defense ) + -ibilis -ible; replacing Middle English defensable < Old French < Late Latin defēnsābilis, equivalent to defēnsā ( re ) (frequentative of dēfendere to defend ) + -bilis -ble

Example Sentences

Each decision was individually defensible as domestic policy.

From The Wall Street Journal

Goldberg does not think so, arguing his firm's experience, research and technology make it defensible.

From BBC

“The faster a company can lean into a consumption value model, the more defensible the moat and predictability of future growth.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Those responses are entirely defensible in moral terms.

From Salon

Yet putting legally defensible tariffs in place isn’t simple.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• logical
• permissible
• plausible
• tenable
• valid