protect

verb

prə-ˈtekt How to pronounce protect (audio)
Definition of protectnext
as in to defend
to drive danger or attack away from the mother bear was just trying to protect her cubs

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word protect different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of protect are defend, guard, safeguard, and shield. While all these words mean "to keep secure from danger or against attack," protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure.

a hard hat to protect your head

When is defend a more appropriate choice than protect?

The words defend and protect can be used in similar contexts, but defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

defend the country

When is it sensible to use guard instead of protect?

In some situations, the words guard and protect are roughly equivalent. However, guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

White House entrances are well guarded

When can safeguard be used instead of protect?

Although the words safeguard and protect have much in common, safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

our civil liberties must be safeguarded

When would shield be a good substitute for protect?

While in some cases nearly identical to protect, shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of protect Supporters say the laws help protect against voter fraud. —Deborah Barfield Berry, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025 This striking contrast highlights the rain shadow effect, where a region on the side of a mountain range is protected from the prevailing winds. —Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025 Forbes is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. —Tony East, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025 His disciplinary history, if in existence, is protected by the Privacy Act of 1974. —Alexandra Koch, Fox News, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for protect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protect
  1. defend
  2. safeguard
  3. shield
  4. guard
Verb
  • Additionally, on Thursday, March 27, Burgess defended her and Green’s co-parenting relationship with Fox.
    — Charna Flam, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Marshall also took time to defend Qatar from accusations of buying influence through its contributions to American universities, a point of discourse Qatari agents have historically worked to quash.
    — Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of defend
Verb
  • The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices.
    — Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • With cyber threats growing in complexity and business disruptions becoming more frequent, organizations need a way to safeguard their most valuable asset — data.
    — Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Definition of safeguard
Verb
  • Countries like Ukraine wanted to be in NATO not to antagonize Russia, but to shield themselves from it.
    — Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Thune refused to shield Tillis from Trump, forcing him to tell the President personally.
    — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of shield
Verb
  • Absolutely crucial, and it's parked geographically and guards the approaches to the North Atlantic.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Mar. 2025
  • From there, there was the 116-113 March 19 home loss, when Pistons guard Cade Cunningham banked in the winning 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds to play to close out the scoring.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025
Definition of guard

Browse Nearby Words

protean
protect
protected
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Cite this Entry

“Protect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protect. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of protect for Spanish Speakers

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