defensive

/dɪˈfɛn.sɪv/

//dɪˈfɛn.sɪv// adj

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

"defensive" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“defensive” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,747 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#3,747
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Intended for defence; protective.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

defensive vs defensively
82% similar
defensive vs defense
78% similar
defensive vs defective
78% similar

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

Key facts for defensive
PropertyValue
Headworddefensive
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/dɪˈfɛn.sɪv/
Letters9
Frequency rank#3,747
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “defensive” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). defensive lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for defensive is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈfɛn.sɪv/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,747 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for defensive, with forms such as "ddefensive", "deefnsive", and "defenisve". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "defensively", "defense", "defective", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French défensif. Morphologically defense + -ive. The correct English form is defensive, spelled D-E-F-E-N-S-I-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Intended for defence; protective.
  2. 2
    Intended to deter attack.
  3. 3
    Performed so as to minimise risk.
  4. 4
    Displaying an inordinate sensitivity to criticism or intrusion; oversensitive; thin-skinned.
  5. 5
    Of a bowling or fielding tactic designed to prevent the other side from scoring runs; of a batting tactic designed to prevent being out.
  6. 6
    Pertaining to defense, as opposed to attack.
  7. 7
    In a state or posture of defense.

Etymology

From Middle French défensif. Morphologically defense + -ive.

Antonyms

offensive

This word in other languages

defensivo(Español)défensif(Français)Abwehr-(Deutsch)defensivo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddefensive,deefnsive,defenisve,defennsive,defensiev,defensivve,defenssive,defensvie,defesnive,deffensive,defnesive,dfeensive,edfensive

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of defensive - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddefensive1deefnsive2defenisve2defennsive1defensiev2defensivve1defenssive1defensvie2
Edit distance from "defensive"

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 "defensive"?
"defensive" is spelled D-E-F-E-N-S-I-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈfɛn.sɪv/.
What does "defensive" mean?
As an adjective, "defensive" means: Intended for defence; protective.
What words are commonly confused with "defensive"?
"defensive" is commonly confused with "defensively", "defense", "defective". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "defensive"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "defensive" is /dɪˈfɛn.sɪv/. 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 "defensive"?
From Middle French défensif. Morphologically defense + -ive. 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.

Using “defensive”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-F-E-N-S-I-V-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪˈfɛn.sɪv/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “defensively” - see the side-by-side comparison. defensive vs defensively
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list