Defendable — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective /di-ˈfend/ de·fend

Meaning & Definition of Defendable

Defendable (verb)

  1. to drive danger or attack away from
  2. to maintain or support in the face of argument or hostile criticism
  3. to prove (something, such as a doctoral thesis or dissertation) valid by answering questions in an oral exam

Defendable (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. capable of being defended against physical attack

    "that nation has long insisted on having borders that it regards as defendable"

    similar: defensible, tenable
    related: defended, guarded, protected, safeguarded, secure, secured, shielded, bulletproof, impregnable, indomitable, invincible, inviolable, invulnerable, unassailable, unbeatable, unconquerable, untouchable
    opposite: indefensible, untenable
    near: vincible, vulnerable, assailable, exposed, imperiled, insecure, liable, open, susceptible, undefended, unguarded, unprotected, unsecured, defenseless, helpless, powerless, weak

  2. capable of being defended with good reasoning against verbal attack

    "your thesis had better be defendable for the attacks are going to be withering"

    similar: defensible, justifiable, maintainable, supportable, sustainable, tenable
    related: rational, reasonable, sensible, well-grounded, acceptable, admissible, allowable, exceptionable, legitimate, passable, unobjectionable, viable, warrantable, confirmable, provable, verifiable, explainable, explicable
    opposite: indefensible, insupportable, unjustifiable, unsustainable, untenable
    near: absurd, illogical, irrational, ridiculous, unsound, extreme, outrageous, unreasonable, groundless, objectionable, unacceptable, unfounded, inexplicable, unexplainable

Related Entry: Defend (verb)

Defend is a different word from Defendable. The synonyms below are for defend, not for defendable.

  1. to drive danger or attack away from

    "a solemn oath to defend the mother country at any cost"

    similar: bulwark, cover, fence, fend, forfend, guard, keep, protect, safeguard, screen, secure, shield, ward, stand up for
    related: avert, prevent, oppose, resist, withstand, battle, contend, fight, war, conserve, preserve, save, buffer, palisade, picket, wall
    opposite: assail, assault, attack
    near: bombard, storm, beset, besiege, overrun, capitulate, cave, submit, yield

  2. to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections

    "she will pigheadedly defend any claim regardless of all evidence to the contrary"

    similar: justify, maintain, support, uphold, stand up for, stick up for
    related: advocate, champion, espouse, confirm, vindicate, warrant, affirm, assert, aver, avouch, avow, claim, contend, insist, plead, proclaim, profess, protest, state, argue, debate, discuss, emphasize, stress, underline, underscore
    near: abandon, abjure, forsake, recant, retract, take back, withdraw, reverse, switch, controvert, disprove, rebut, refute

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Defendable

The most common words with a similar meaning to Defendable:

defensible, tenable, justifiable, maintainable, supportable, sustainable

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Defendable

Words with the opposite meaning of Defendable:

indefensible, untenable, insupportable, unjustifiable, unsustainable

Related Words for Defendable

defended, guarded, protected, safeguarded, secure, secured, shielded, bulletproof, impregnable, indomitable, invincible, inviolable, invulnerable, unassailable, unbeatable, unconquerable, untouchable, rational, reasonable, sensible, well-grounded, acceptable, admissible, allowable, exceptionable, legitimate, passable, unobjectionable, viable, warrantable

Near Antonyms of Defendable

vincible, vulnerable, assailable, exposed, imperiled, insecure, liable, open, susceptible, undefended, unguarded, unprotected, unsecured, defenseless, helpless, powerless, weak, absurd, illogical, irrational, ridiculous, unsound, extreme, outrageous, unreasonable, groundless, objectionable, unacceptable, unfounded, inexplicable

Word Forms of Defendable

Inflections: defended, defending, defends

Derived words: defendable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Defendable

Middle English defenden, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French defendre, defender, going back to Latin dēfendere "to ward off, fend off, repel danger from, protect," from dē- de- + -fendere, presumably, "to strike, hit" (unattested without prefixes), going back to Indo-European *gwhen-dh-, extended determinate form of *gwhen-, *gwhn- "strike, kill," whence Hittite kuenzi "(s/he) kills," kunanzi "(they) kill," Sanskrit hánti "(s/he) strikes, kills," ghnánti "(they) strike, kill," Greek theínein "to strike," épethnon "(I) killed," Old Irish gonaid "(s/he) pierces, wounds, kills," Welsh gwan- "stab, pierce," Lithuanian genù, giñti "to drive (cattle, etc.)," Old Church Slavic ženǫ, gŭnati "to drive, chase out, expel"; also, from nominal derivative *gwhon-, Greek phónos "bloodshed, murder," and from *gwhń̥-tih2, Germanic *gunþī, *gunþjō, whence Old English gūþ "battle, combat," Old Saxon gūđea, Old High German gund-, Old Icelandic gunnr, guðr

First known use: 14th centuryt

Frequently Asked Questions about Defendable

What does "Defendable" mean?

"Defendable" means to drive danger or attack away from. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to drive danger or attack away from. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Defendable"?

Other words for "Defendable" include defensible, tenable, justifiable, maintainable, supportable and sustainable. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Defendable" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Defendable"?

There are 41 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Defendable". Common alternatives include defensible, tenable, justifiable, maintainable, supportable and sustainable.

What is the opposite of "Defendable"?

Antonyms of "Defendable" include indefensible, untenable, insupportable, unjustifiable and unsustainable. Near antonyms include vincible, vulnerable, assailable and exposed.

How do you use "Defendable" in a sentence?

Examples of "Defendable" in a sentence: "that nation has long insisted on having borders that it regards as defendable"; "your thesis had better be defendable for the attacks are going to be withering".

Is "Defendable" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Defendable" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Defendable"?

"Defendable" is pronounced /di-ˈfend/ and divided into syllables as de·fend.

What is the origin of the word "Defendable"?

"Defendable" comes from Middle English defenden, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French defendre, defender, going back to Latin dēfendere "to ward off, fend off, repel danger from, protect," from dē- de- + -fendere, presumably, "to strike, hit" (unattested without prefixes), going back to Indo-European *gwhen-dh-, extended determinate form of *gwhen-, *gwhn- "strike, kill," whence Hittite kuenzi "(s/he) kills," kunanzi "(they) kill," Sanskrit hánti "(s/he) strikes, kills," ghnánti "(they) strike, kill," Greek theínein "to strike," épethnon "(I) killed," Old Irish gonaid "(s/he) pierces, wounds, kills," Welsh gwan- "stab, pierce," Lithuanian genù, giñti "to drive (cattle, etc.)," Old Church Slavic ženǫ, gŭnati "to drive, chase out, expel"; also, from nominal derivative *gwhon-, Greek phónos "bloodshed, murder," and from *gwhń̥-tih2, Germanic *gunþī, *gunþjō, whence Old English gūþ "battle, combat," Old Saxon gūđea, Old High German gund-, Old Icelandic gunnr, guðr. First known use: 14th centuryt.