defensiveness

[ dih-fen-siv-nis ]

noun

1. excessive concern with guarding against the real or imagined threat of criticism, injury to one’s ego, exposure of one’s shortcomings, etc.:

   Employee defensiveness may be reduced by moving the focus of the conversation from the person to the behaviors.

2. the condition of being abnormally sensitive to certain stimuli, leading to avoidance or overreaction:

   Sensory defensiveness often takes the form of increased negative reactivity to noises from fans, clocks, car doors, etc.

3. the state or condition of being prepared to defend against attack from an enemy:

   A military adviser’s job involves improving a nation's army and overall defensiveness against foreign attackers.

Other Words From

• non·de·fen·sive·ness noun
• o·ver·de·fen·sive·ness noun
• sem·i·de·fen·sive·ness noun
• un·de·fen·sive·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of defensiveness¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; defensive ( def ) + -ness ( def )

Example Sentences

MI5 showed "institutional defensiveness rather than candour" after the Manchester Arena attack and for years continued to present an "inaccurate picture" of what it had known about the suicide bomber, a tribunal has been told.

From BBC

But I think there's so much defensiveness there that’s very, very hard to break through.

From Salon

In sum, Biden had gotten to this unsustainable position largely because of his own history and outlook and the understandable defensiveness of aides and family.

From Salon

“I mean, why not use your comedian brain to fight through your defensiveness and think outside of yourself? Isn't that what good comics do? Why don’t you just apologize?”

From Salon

And, predictably, with many men responding with defensiveness and denial.

From Seattle Times