an indefensible position

USAGE SUMMARY

"an indefensible position" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe a stance or argument that cannot be justified or defended. Example: "His refusal to acknowledge the evidence put him in an indefensible position." Alternative expressions include "an untenable stance" and "a defenseless argument."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

That is an indefensible position.

The New York Times

The alternative is political trench warfare from an indefensible position.

The Guardian

"We will be in an indefensible position if we cannot state why we are withholding the planes.

The New York Times

As in the Senate hearing, he said the unit's London office "embarked on a complex strategy" that became an indefensible position that created greater risks.

The New York Times

This was basically an indefensible position, but there was no one better equipped to fight such a gallant rear-guard action than the cunning Mr. Wolfe.

The New York Times - Books

Being twee and understated and generally silly isn't an indefensible position — it worked for "Flight of the Conchords," a much funnier show — but you need to demonstrate a dark side, a willingness to pull your viewers up short and implicate them in the madness.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Mr. Gore's comments put the White House in what one administration official said this week was "an intellectually indefensible position".

The New York Times

This can put you in an unbalanced, indefensible position.

WikiHow

Sometimes he would stake out a seemingly indefensible position, then see if he could invent an argument to back it up.

The New Yorker

The word "chutzpah" is insufficient to describe how utterly indefensible the Republican position is, intellectually.Furthermore, Republicans have a completely indefensible position on taxes.

The Economist

Another said he generally does not vote for anybody on the first ballot, a completely indefensible position, even if it is rooted in history.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an indefensible position" when you want to emphasize that a person's logic or ethics have completely failed. It is highly effective in editorial writing to signal a point of no return for a specific argument.

Common error

Do not use this phrase for simple differences of opinion. Reserving "an indefensible position" for cases involving severe logical fallacies or significant moral breaches preserves the rhetorical weight of the expression.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an indefensible position" functions as a complex noun phrase. In the context provided by Ludwig AI, it typically acts as the object of a sentence (e.g., "taking an indefensible position") or a complement (e.g., "This is an indefensible position"). The adjective "indefensible" serves to negate the validity of the noun "position".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "an indefensible position" is a robust and widely accepted phrase used to describe arguments or situations that lack a valid basis. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is most common in high-authority media outlets where it serves as a powerful rhetorical tool for critique. It is grammatically correct and versatile, appearing in contexts ranging from political commentary to scientific reviews. Writers should use it when they wish to highlight a complete lack of justification, while being mindful not to overreach in casual disagreements. Its usage across elite publications like The New York Times and The Economist confirms its status as a staple of formal English rhetoric.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an untenable stance

Shifts focus to a position that is impossible to maintain or hold over time

an unjustifiable position

Emphasizes the lack of moral or logical justification more explicitly

an unsupportable argument

Targets the logical framework of a claim rather than a general situation

an unsustainable approach

Focuses on the methodology or long-term viability rather than immediate defense

a groundless claim

Suggests that the initial assertion had no basis in fact to begin with

a weak argument

A simpler alternative suggesting the defense exists but is easily defeated

a vulnerable position

Implies the position can be attacked but might not be entirely without merit

a lost cause

An idiomatic expression for a situation where failure is certain

an impossible situation

Broader context describing the circumstances rather than the argument

a dead end

Metaphorical phrase for a line of reasoning that leads nowhere

FAQs

What does "an indefensible position" mean?

It refers to a stance, argument, or physical location that cannot be justified, protected, or supported. It is often synonymous with "an untenable stance".

How to use "an indefensible position" in a sentence?

You can use it to critique logic, as in "The CEO was left in "an indefensible position" after the audit." For more variety, consider using "an unjustifiable position".

Is "an indefensible position" formal?

Yes, it is widely used in professional contexts like journalism and academia. If you need something more direct in a casual setting, you might use "a weak argument".

What is the difference between "an indefensible position" and "a lost cause"?

While both suggest failure, "an indefensible position" focuses on the lack of logic or merit, whereas "a lost cause" refers to the hopelessness of the outcome.