Etymology

From in- +‎ defensibleCategory:English terms prefixed with in-#DEFENSIBLE.

Adjective

indefensible (comparative more indefensible, superlative most indefensible)Category:English lemmas#INDEFENSIBLECategory:English adjectives#INDEFENSIBLECategory:English entries with incorrect language header#INDEFENSIBLECategory:Pages with entries#INDEFENSIBLECategory:Pages with 2 entries#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.Category:English terms with quotations#INDEFENSIBLE

   • 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.Category:English terms with quotations#INDEFENSIBLE

   • 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]Category:English terms with quotations#INDEFENSIBLE

3. Incapable of being explained.

   Synonyms: untenable, insupportable, invalid

Adjective

indefensible m or f (masculine and feminine plural indefensibles)Category:Spanish lemmas#INDEFENSIBLECategory:Spanish adjectives#INDEFENSIBLECategory:Spanish epicene adjectives#INDEFENSIBLECategory:Spanish adjectives with red links in their headword lines#INDEFENSIBLECategory:Spanish entries with incorrect language header#INDEFENSIBLECategory:Pages with entries#INDEFENSIBLECategory:Pages with 2 entries#INDEFENSIBLE

1. (uncommonCategory:Spanish terms with uncommon senses#INDEFENSIBLE) alternative form of indefendible

Further reading

• “indefensible”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025