Meanings
comparative more indefensible · superlative most indefensible
- Not defensible; not capable of being defended.
Synonyms: vulnerable
- figurativelyNot capable of being justified or excused.
Killing civilians is indefensible, whether done by Hamas or Israel [title]
2023 October 12, Rajan Menon, “Killing civilians is indefensible, whether done by Hamas or Israel”, in The Guardian, →ISSN2 more examples
Mr. Elliot's frank statement that "sloth and untidiness are indefensible" is a sign that the task will be tackled with vigour.
1953 April, “Arrears of Station Maintenance”, in Railway Magazine, page 217The 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.
2017 May 31, Todd Stern, “Leaving the Paris Agreement Would Be Indefensible”, in The AtlanticSynonyms: inexcusable, unpardonable, untenable
- Incapable of being explained.
Synonyms: untenable, insupportable, invalid
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveNot defensible; not capable of being defended.
adjectiveNot capable of being justified or excused.
adjectiveIncapable of being explained.
More synonyms by meaning
adjective(of theories etc.) incapable of being defended or justified
adjectivenot able to be protected against attack
adjectiveincapable of being justified or explained
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*né
- Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
- Proto-Italic*n̥-
- Latinin-
- Middle Englishin-
- Englishin-
- Englishdefensible
- Englishindefensible
From in- + defensible.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian незащитен, беззащитен
- незащитен (nezaštiten)not capable of being defended
- беззащитен (bezzaštiten)not capable of being defended
- непростим (neprostim)incapable of being justified
Catalan indefensable, indefensable
- indefensablenot capable of being defended
- indefensableincapable of being justified
Dutch onverdedigbaar
- onverdedigbaarincapable of being justified
Finnish mahdoton puolustaa, puolustuskelvoton
- mahdoton puolustaanot capable of being defended
- puolustuskelvotonnot capable of being defended
- mahdoton perustellaincapable of being justified
- mahdoton puolustellaincapable of being justified
French indéfendable
- indéfendableincapable of being justified
German unvertretbar, unhaltbar
- unvertretbarincapable of being justified
- unhaltbarincapable of being justified
Greek αδικαιολόγητος, αδικαιολόγητος
- αδικαιολόγητος (adikaiológitos)not capable of being defended
- αδικαιολόγητος (adikaiológitos)incapable of being justified
Italian indifendibile
- indifendibileincapable of being justified
Polish nie do obrony, niewybaczalny
- nie do obronynot capable of being defended
- niewybaczalnyincapable of being justified
- nieuzasadnionyincapable of being justified
- niedopuszczalnyincapable of being justified
Romanian neapărabil, de neapărat
- neapărabilnot capable of being defended
- de neapăratnot capable of being defended
- imposibil de apăratnot capable of being defended
- nefundamentatincapable of being justified
- nejustificabilincapable of being justified
- de neiertatincapable of being justified
Spanish indefendible, indefensible
- indefendiblenot capable of being defended
- indefensiblenot capable of being defended
- indefensablenot capable of being defended
- indefendibleincapable of being justified
- indefensibleincapable of being justified
- indefensableincapable of being justified
Swedish försvarslös, oförsvarlig
- försvarslösnot capable of being defended
- oförsvarligincapable of being justified
Cite this entry
indefensible. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/indefensible
“indefensible.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/indefensible. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “indefensible,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/indefensible.
Source: indefensible on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.