defensively Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adverb in an apologetic and defensive manner
    • `I felt it better you should know,' said Sir Cedric defensively
  2. adverb in a defensive manner
    • the general conviction that our side is in the right and acting defensively over what Russians call the German question and Americans the Berlin crisis

WordNet


De*fen"sive*ly adverb
Definitions
  1. On the defensive.

Webster 1913