Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'defensible'

English Word: defensible

Key Russian Translations:

• оправданный [ɐprɐvˈdannɨj] - [Formal, Used in legal or moral contexts]
• защищаемый [zɐʂːɪˈʂːaɪmɨj] - [Formal/Neutral, Often used for physical or metaphorical defense]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

оправданный: [ɐprɐvˈdannɨj]

Note on оправданный: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "ы" sound is a distinct Russian vowel, often challenging for non-native speakers.

защищаемый: [zɐʂːɪˈʂːaɪmɨj]

Note on защищаемый: Stress on the third syllable. The "щ" sound is a soft, hissing consonant unique to Russian.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Justifiable (in a moral, legal, or logical sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• оправданный - Used when something can be justified or defended on ethical or logical grounds.

Usage Examples:

• Его действия были оправданны в данной ситуации.

  His actions were defensible in this situation.

• Это решение кажется оправданным с точки зрения закона.

  This decision seems defensible from a legal perspective.

• Её выбор был полностью оправданным.

  Her choice was completely defensible.

2. Able to be protected or defended (physically or metaphorically)

Translation(s) & Context:

• защищаемый - Refers to something that can be defended, often in a physical or strategic sense, but also metaphorically.

Usage Examples:

• Этот замок был легко защищаемым в средние века.

  This castle was easily defensible in the Middle Ages.

• Его позиция в споре была защищаемой, но не убедительной.

  His position in the argument was defensible but not convincing.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

оправданный (Adjective): This word follows standard Russian adjective declension rules based on gender, number, and case.

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	оправданный	оправданная	оправданное	оправданные
Genitive	оправданного	оправданной	оправданного	оправданных

защищаемый (Adjective): Similarly, this adjective follows standard declension patterns for adjectives.

Note: Both adjectives can also have short forms (e.g., оправдан, защищаем), used in specific grammatical constructions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for оправданный:

• обоснованный
• законный

Note: "обоснованный" is more about being well-grounded, while "законный" emphasizes legality.

Synonyms for защищаемый:

• обороняемый

Antonyms for оправданный:

• неоправданный

Antonyms for защищаемый:

• незащищаемый

Related Phrases:

• оправданный риск - Defensible risk (a risk that can be justified).
• защищаемая территория - Defensible territory (an area that can be protected).

Usage Notes:

• "оправданный" is primarily used in contexts involving moral, legal, or logical justification. It is more abstract and formal compared to "защищаемый".
• "защищаемый" often implies something that can be physically or strategically defended, though it can also apply to arguments or positions in a debate.
• Choose "оправданный" when discussing ethics or reasoning, and "защищаемый" when referring to defense in a broader sense.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Confusing "оправданный" with "защищаемый" due to overlapping meanings.

Incorrect: Этот форт был оправданным. (This fort was justifiable.)

Correct: Этот форт был защищаемым. (This fort was defensible.)

Explanation: "оправданный" does not fit physical defense contexts; use "защищаемый" instead.

Error 2: Misusing adjective endings due to incorrect gender or case agreement.

Incorrect: Её решение было оправданный. (Her decision was defensible.)

Correct: Её решение было оправданным. (Her decision was defensible.)

Explanation: Adjectives must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the concept of "defensible" as justification ("оправданный") often carries a strong moral or ethical connotation. Discussions of actions being "defensible" in legal or personal contexts are common in Russian literature and discourse, reflecting a cultural emphasis on accountability and reasoning.

Related Concepts:

• обоснование (justification)
• защита (defense)