What is the meaning of defensiveness?

noun

  • Excessive sensitivity to criticism.
    • usage: "his defensiveness was manifested in hurt silence"; "the fear of being sued for malpractice has magnified physicians' defensiveness"
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
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APAWordNet. (2010). defensiveness. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/defensiveness/definitions/1210705
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "defensiveness" http://smartdefine.org/defensiveness/definitions/1210705 (accessed September 20, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, defensiveness, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/defensiveness/definitions/1210705>.
MLAWordNet. "defensiveness" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/defensiveness/definitions/1210705>