plural shields
1
: a broad piece of defensive armor carried on the arm
2
: something or someone that protects or defends : defense
A healthy lifestyle may act as a shield against preventable diseases.
3
a
: a device or part that serves as a protective cover or barrier
They were covered head to toe in protective gear—rubber boots, gowns, aprons, gloves, masks, head caps and plastic eye shields.—
Blaine Harden
see also dress shield, face shield, heat shield, windshield
Blaine Harden
b
: a protective structure (such as a carapace, scale, or plate) of some animals
4
: escutcheon
especially
: one that is wide at the top and rounds to a point at the bottom
5
: the Precambrian nuclear mass of a continent that is surrounded and sometimes covered by sedimentary rocks
6
: something resembling a shield: such as
a
b
: a police officer's badge
c
: a decorative or identifying emblem
shielded; shielding; shields
1
a
: to protect with or as if with a shield : provide with a protective cover or shelter
b
: to cut off from observation : hide
2
obsolete
: forbid
shielder
noun
Synonyms
Examples of shield in a Sentence
Noun
the heat shield on a space shuttle
the slightly built boy used his sharp wit as a shield against the school's bullies
Verb
celebrities who are shielded by a cluster of bodyguards whenever they appear in public
she shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand
Recent Examples on the Web
Reuters, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024
The ozone layer, a critical atmospheric shield, protects Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
—Tom Howarth
follow, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 4 Nov. 2024
Berry also found about 100 burn marks on the walls, which were meant to shield the building from fire.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shield 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Whipps’ request for the U.S. to install a permanent Patriot missile shield has stalled, after Palau’s Senate passed a resolution rejecting it.
—Reuters, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024
The ozone layer, a critical atmospheric shield, protects Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
—Tom Howarth
follow, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
Then, about 15 years ago, immigrant rights activists pushed back, organizing campaigns to shield migrants from the raids and galvanizing support to repeal the anti-immigration laws.
—Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 4 Nov. 2024
Berry also found about 100 burn marks on the walls, which were meant to shield the building from fire.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shield
Dictionary Entries Near shield
Cite this Entry
“Shield.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shield. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shield
1 of 2 noun1
: a broad piece of armor carried on the arm to protect oneself in battle
2
: something that serves as a defense or protection
3
: the ancient mass of hard rock that forms the core of a continent
shield
2 of 2 verb
: to cover or screen with or as if with a shield
Medical Definition
shield
noun
: a structure, device, or part that serves as a protective cover or barrier
a lead shield to protect against X-rays
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