Defensible

Able to be supported by sound reasons, evidence, or fair principles.

Reach for it when praising a position or decision that can withstand serious scrutiny

The committee chose a defensible estimate and published the uncertainty around it.

• everyday

  reasonable

  when a balanced person could accept the judgment

  not when Reasonable is broad and may praise moderation rather than resistance to a specific challenge.

• professional

  credible

  when a claim is believable because the evidence and source inspire trust

  not when Credible concerns belief and does not necessarily make the underlying action fair or justified.

• professional

  sound

  when reasoning or judgment is solid and reliable

  not when Sound gives broad approval but does not evoke a challenge that must be answered.

• professional

  supportable

  when available evidence can sustain a claim

  not when Supportable is awkward for moral conduct and can sound like a minimum evidentiary threshold.

• formal

  justifiable

  when ethical or practical reasons make an action acceptable

  not when Justifiable can permit a choice without suggesting the evidence is strong enough to persuade critics.

• formal

  tenable

  when an argument can survive criticism without contradiction

  not when Tenable sounds academic and does not naturally praise a compassionate practical choice.

• indefensible
• unjustifiable
• untenable

• defensible position

  The board reached a defensible position after publishing the competing cost estimates.

• defensible decision

  A defensible decision explains both the evidence used and the tradeoffs accepted.

• legally defensible

  The revised process is legally defensible and easier for applicants to understand.