indefensible

English

Etymology

From in- +‎ defensible.

Adjective

indefensible (comparative more indefensible, superlative most indefensible)

1. Not defensible; not capable of being defended.

   Synonym: vulnerable

2. (figurative) Not capable of being justified or excused.

   Synonyms: inexcusable, unpardonable, untenable

   • 1953 April, “Arrears of Station Maintenance”, in Railway Magazine, page 217:

     Mr. Elliot's frank statement that "sloth and untidiness are indefensible" is a sign that the task will be tackled with vigour.

   • 2017 May 31, Todd Stern, “Leaving the Paris Agreement Would Be Indefensible”, in The Atlantic‎:

     The president evidently intends to follow his own misguided calculus. A decision to withdraw would be indefensible. It is important to understand why and to consider what we need to do next.

   • 2023 October 12, Rajan Menon, “Killing civilians is indefensible, whether done by Hamas or Israel”, in The Guardian‎, →ISSN:

     Killing civilians is indefensible, whether done by Hamas or Israel [title]

3. Incapable of being explained.

   Synonyms: untenable, insupportable, invalid

Antonyms

• defensible

Derived terms

• indefensibility
• indefensibleness
• indefensibly

Translations

not capable of being defended

Bulgarian: незащитен (bg) (nezaštiten), беззащитен (bg) (bezzaštiten) Catalan: indefensable Finnish: mahdoton puolustaa, puolustuskelvoton Greek: αδικαιολόγητος (el) (adikaiológitos) Polish: nie do obrony Romanian: neapărabil m, de neapărat, imposibil de apărat Spanish: indefendible Swedish: försvarslös (sv)

incapable of being justified

Bulgarian: непростим (bg) (neprostim) Catalan: indefensable Dutch: onverdedigbaar (nl) Finnish: mahdoton perustella, mahdoton puolustella French: indéfendable (fr) Galician: indefendible (gl) German: unvertretbar (de), unhaltbar (de) Greek: αδικαιολόγητος (el) (adikaiológitos) Italian: indifendibile (it) Polish: niewybaczalny (pl), nieuzasadniony (pl), niedopuszczalny (pl) Romanian: nefundamentat m, nejustificabil (ro), de neiertat Spanish: indefendible Swedish: oförsvarlig (sv)

See also

• undefendable