# defense vs defensive

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### defense
*noun · IPA /dɪˈfɛns/ · frequency rank #1,247*
The action of defending or protecting from attack, danger, or injury.

### defensive
*adjective · IPA /dɪˈfɛn.sɪv/ · frequency rank #3,747*
Intended for defence; protective.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/defense-vs-defensive