protect

verb

pro·​tect prə-ˈtekt 

protected; protecting; protects

transitive verb

1

a

: to cover or shield from exposure, injury, damage, or destruction : guard

b

: defend sense 1c

protect the goal

2

: to maintain the status or integrity of especially through financial or legal guarantees: such as

a

: to save from contingent financial loss

b

: to foster or shield from infringement or restriction

salesmen with protected territories

protect one's rights

specifically : to restrict competition for (something, such as a domestic industry) by means of tariffs or trade controls

3

: defend sense 5

protect a lead

intransitive verb

: to provide a guard or shield

protects against tooth decay

protectable

prə-ˈtek-tə-bəl 

adjective

protective

prə-ˈtek-tiv 

adjective

protectively adverb

protectiveness noun

Synonyms

• defend
• safeguard
• shield
• guard

Choose the Right Synonym for protect

defend, protect, shield, guard, safeguard mean to keep secure from danger or against attack.

defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

defend the country

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

shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

White House entrances are well guarded

safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

our civil liberties must be safeguarded

Examples of protect in a Sentence

He had no raincoat to protect himself from the rain.

She keeps her jewelry protected in a safe.

You have to protect your business against fraud.

New laws have been passed to protect your privacy.

The forest is protected by federal law.

The high taxes on imported goods are intended to protect domestic producers.

Sunscreen helps to protect against sunburn.

The insurance protects you against flooding.

The insurance does not protect against damage caused by earthquakes.

Recent Examples on the Web

No one disputes that a government’s first responsibility is to protect its own citizens. —Michael Sheldrick, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025

Agnes has born the brunt of the harshness of the world, and Ada has been protected. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 23 June 2025

This would seem to protect states' access to the $42 billion broadband deployment fund that will offer subsidies to ISPs that expand access to Internet service. —ArsTechnica, 23 June 2025

In experiments set up to leave AI models few options and stress-test alignment, top systems from OpenAI, Google, and others frequently resorted to blackmail—and in an extreme case, even allowed fictional deaths—to protect their interests. —Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin protectus, past participle of protegere, from pro- in front + tegere to cover — more at pro-, thatch

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing protect

• protect one's ass

Rhymes for protect

• affect
• aspect
• bedecked
• bisect
• collect
• connect
• correct
• deflect
• detect
• direct
• dissect
• effect

Kids Definition

protect

verb

pro·​tect prə-ˈtekt 

: to cover or shield from something that would destroy or injure : guard

Legal Definition

protect

transitive verb

pro·​tect

1

: to shield from injury or harm

protecting public health and safety

2

: to secure or preserve against encroachment, infringement, restriction, or violation : maintain the status or integrity of especially through legal or constitutional guarantees

protect a work against copyright infringement

the First Amendment protects speech

3

: to restrict competition for (as domestic industries) by means of tariffs or trade controls

protectable adjective

or protectible