defensible

/dɪˈfɛn.sɪ.bəl/

//dɪˈfɛn.sɪ.bəl// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"defensible" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“defensible” has 16 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #36,516. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#36,516
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
16
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Capable of being defended against armed attack.

Corpus desk

Index EN-defensible · defensible · English

defensible · rank #36,516 · 16 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #36,516
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 16 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH decommissioned

Nearest frequency peer: decommissioned (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “defensible”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “defensible” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

defensible vs defensive
80% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for defensible
PropertyValue
Headworddefensible
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/dɪˈfɛn.sɪ.bəl/
Letters10
Frequency rank#36,516
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “defensible”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).defensiblelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “decommissioned” (#36,515), “dancehall” (#36,513), “descriptor” (#36,519). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “defensible” is #36,516. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 16 spelling variants around defensible (IPA /dɪˈfɛn.sɪ.bəl/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #36,516 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for defensible, with forms such as "ddefensible", "deefnsible", and "defenisble". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "defensive", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French defensable, from Latin defensibilem. Equivalent to defense + -ible. The correct English form is defensible, spelled D-E-F-E-N-S-I-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Capable of being defended against armed attack.
  2. 2
    Capable of being justified.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how defensible appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Not only were those cities fortified, but their architects based their whole system on the strategical possibilities of the site, and closely followed its defensible contours.
  2. Those who are most familiar with the working of the present society are also usually interested in the preservation of particular features of that society which may not be defensible on general principle.

Etymology

From Old French defensable, from Latin defensibilem. Equivalent to defense + -ible.

Synonyms

defendable

Antonyms

indefensible

This word in other languages

sostenible(Español)défendable(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddefensible
  • deefnsible
  • defenisble
  • defennsible
  • defensable
  • defensbile
  • defensibble
  • defensibel
  • defensiblle
  • defensilbe
  • defenssible
  • defesnible
  • deffensible
  • defnesible
  • dfeensible
  • edfensible

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of defensible - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ddefensible1deefnsible2defenisble2defennsible1defensable1defensbile2defensibble1defensibel2
Edit distance from "defensible"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "defensible"?
"defensible" is spelled D-E-F-E-N-S-I-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈfɛn.sɪ.bəl/.
What does "defensible" mean?
As an adjective, "defensible" means: Capable of being defended against armed attack.
What words are commonly confused with "defensible"?
"defensible" is commonly confused with "defensive". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "defensible"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "defensible" is /dɪˈfɛn.sɪ.bəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "defensible"?
From Old French defensable, from Latin defensibilem. Equivalent to defense + -ible. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "defensible", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

descriptor#36,519concoction#36,499commissary#36,496entomology#36,541

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (16 here; floor ≥5).

Germantown16 variantsgestational16 variantsHuntingdon16 variantsincredulous16 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list