self-protection

noun

self-pro·​tec·​tion ˌself-prə-ˈtek-shən 

plural self-protections

: the act of protecting oneself, one's property, or one's group : self-defense

kept a bat under the bed for self-protection

… found that conflict-affected communities often develop sophisticated self-protection strategies …

—Lisa Fuller

GEMINI … A painful past makes you guard your feelings, but such self-protection can lead to isolation and missed opportunities.

—Harper's Bazaar

—sometimes used before another noun

self-protection techniques

a self-protection seminar

Examples of self-protection in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That self-protection right can be restricted but not removed. —Morgan Marietta, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026

But Judaism also refuses to equate self-protection with emotional petrification. —Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026

When trust feels uncertain, people naturally shift into self-protection mode. —Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 2026

The Exes is an intriguing psychological thriller about love’s promises and perils, how trauma can leave invisible scars, and the veil between self-protection and self-destruction. —Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 30 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1635, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-protection

• circumspection
• disaffection
• disconnection
• disinfection
• dorsiflexion
• imperfection
• indirection
• insurrection
• intellection
• interjection
• intersection
• introjection