defensive synonyms

defensive

modif.

protective, protecting, defending, shielding, guarding, safeguarding, warding off, watchful, wary, guarded, preventive, averting, forestalling, foiling, balking, arresting, checking, frustrating, thwarting, opposing, resistive, withstanding, armored, on the defensive, in self-defense, in opposition, self-justifying, touchy, prickly, self-protective; see also armed, irritable, unfriendly 1.

Antonyms aggressive*, offensive*, combative.

Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.