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Related Words for on the defensive
Compiled automatically from published text to show words that appear in related contexts.
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Results may indicate historical usage, and do not reflect the views of Merriam-Webster.
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| Word | Syllables | Categories |
|---|---|---|
| defensively | x/xx | Adverb, Adverb |
| defence | x/ | Noun |
| defense | x/ | Noun |
| defensible | x/xx | Adjective |
| defender | x/x | Noun |
| on guard | // | Phrase, Adjective |
| guarding | /x | Verb |
| defense mechanism | x//xxx | Phrase, Noun |
| protective | x/x | Adjective |
| contested | x/x | Adjective |
| under fire | /x/x | Phrase |
| counterattack | /xxx | Noun |
| deflections | x/x | Noun |
| opposing | x/x | Verb |
| offensive | x/x | Noun |
| oppositional | xx/xx | Adjective |
| countering | /xx | Verb |
| argumentative | xx/xx | Adjective |
| counteroffensive | xxx/x | Noun |
| fending | /x | Verb |
| combative | x/x | Adjective |
| resisting | x/x | Verb |
| insecure | /xx | Adjective |
| territorial | xx/xx | Adjective |
| combating | x/x | Verb |
| indefensible | xx/xx | Adjective |
| protection | x/x | Noun |
| attacking | x/x | Verb |
| blocking | /x | Verb |
| overprotective | xxx/x | Adjective |
| rearguard | /x | Noun |
| outnumbered | x/x | Verb |
| adversarial | xx/xx | Adjective |
| under pressure | /x/x | Phrase, Adjective |
| fend off | // | Phrase, Verb |
| damage control | /xx/ | Phrase, Noun |
| confrontational | xx/xx | Adjective |
| fighting | /x | Noun |
| fight off | // | Phrase, Verb |
| reactionary | x/xxx | Adjective |
| aggressive | x/x | Adjective |
| opponents | x/x | Noun |
| intercepting | xx/x | Verb |
| situational | xx/xx | Adjective |
| offence | x/ | Noun |
| avoidance | x/x | Noun |
| accommodative | x/xxx | Adjective |
| advocacy | /xxx | Noun |
| antiaircraft | xx/x | Noun, Adjective |
| antitank | xx/ | Adjective |
| apologetic | xxx/x | Adjective, Noun |
| armor | /x | Noun, Verb |
| clumsy | /x | Adjective, Noun |
| coercive | x/x | Adjective |
| common | /x | Adjective, Noun, Verb |
| conservative | x/xx | Adjective, Noun |
| cornerstone | /xx | Noun |
| counterrevolutionary | xxxx/xxx | Adjective, Noun |
| devoid | x/ | Adjective, Verb |
| dissidence | /xx | Noun |
| diversionary | x/xxx | Adjective |
| efficient | x/x | Adjective, Noun |
| essentials | x/x | Noun |
| fence | / | Noun, Verb |
| fielding | /x | Noun |
| finer | /x | Noun |
| football | /x | Noun, Verb |
| foothold | /x | Noun |
| foundation | x/x | Noun |
| fragmentation | xx/x | Noun |
| groundwork | /x | Noun |
| hold | / | Verb, Noun, Adjective |
| independent | xx/x | Adjective, Noun |
| justificatory | xxxxxx | Adjective |
| literary | /xxx | Adjective |
| manipulative | x/xxx | Adjective, Noun |
| natural | /xx | Adjective, Noun, Adverb |
| passive | /x | Adjective, Noun |
| personal | /xx | Adjective, Noun |
| policing | x/x | Noun |
| precautionary | x/xxx | Adjective, Noun |
| preparedness | x/xx | Noun |
| preventative | x/xx | Adjective, Noun |
| preventive | x/x | Noun, Adjective |
| proactive | //x | Adjective |
| protectionist | x/xx | Adjective, Noun |
| punitive | /xx | Adjective |
| rampart | /x | Noun, Verb |
| regulative | /xxx | Adjective |
| repressive | x/x | Adjective |
| shield | / | Noun, Verb |
| suppressive | x/x | Adjective, Noun |
| tender | /x | Noun, Adjective, Adverb, Verb |
