Standard Lemma guide

defensiveness

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /dɪˈfɛnsɪvnəs/
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 F EH1 N S IH0 V N AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The state or quality of being defensive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

excessive sensitivity to criticism

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • his defensiveness was manifested in hurt silence
  • the fear of being sued for malpractice has magnified physicians' defensiveness

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sensitivity, sensitiveness

Narrower terms: bunker mentality

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English defensive Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English defensiveness From defensive + -ness.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: defensiivisyys — state or quality
  • Hungarian: hárítás — state or quality
  • Hungarian: elhárítás — state or quality
  • Hungarian: védekezés — state or quality
  • Hungarian: defenzivitás — state or quality