protect

verb pro·tect \ prə-ˈtekt \

Definition of protect

transitive verb

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

b :defend 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 5

protect a lead

intransitive verb

:to provide a guard or shield

protects against tooth decay

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protectable

play \-ˈtek-tə-bəl\ adjective

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protective

play \-ˈtek-tiv\ adjective

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protectively

adverb

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protectiveness

noun

See protect defined for English-language learners

See protect defined for kids

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 of protect from the Web

The cost to protect against a U.S. default over the next five years through credit-default swaps has risen to about 26 basis points, from 20 basis points a month ago.

— alex harris, Bloomberg.com, "Debt Ceiling Anxiety Tracker: Wall Street Is Taking No Chances," 30 Aug. 2017
That includes decades-old flood pumping stations along the Ohio River that protect tens of thousands of city residents and some crumbling sewer lines that date to the Civil War and occasionally collapse, creating dangerous sinkholes.

— james bruggers, The Courier-Journal, "Sewer line sinkhole swallows portion of E. Main Street, potentially closing it for weeks," 30 Aug. 2017
At the top of most lists is ensuring federal payment of subsidies to insurers to pay the out-of-pocket expenses — such as deductibles and copayments — to protect customers with the lowest incomes.

— julie rovner, Kaiser Health News, "5 Outside-The-Box Ideas For Fixing The Individual Insurance Market," 30 Aug. 2017
She's stayed silent on her father's decisions to cut funding for women's healthcare and remove other Obama-era legislation to protect women in the workplace.

— suzannah weiss, Glamour, "Ivanka Trump Supports Women Who Work—but Is Apparently Fine With Scrapping Equal Pay Legislation," 30 Aug. 2017
Martin agreed with Freeman-Wilson citing EPA's response to the chromium spill in April as a prime example of his the agency protects the health of Northwest Indiana citizens.

— javonte anderson, Post-Tribune, "Northwest Indiana officials, activists pushing back on proposed EPA budget cuts," 29 Aug. 2017
Foods packed with certain vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants may help protect cells against toxins and help prevent heart disease, cancer, and other ailments (and perhaps gray hair!). 5.

— marci robin, Good Housekeeping, "9 Things You Didn't Know About Gray Hair," 23 Aug. 2017
The men and women of the Navy are asked to operate in contested waters each day to protect the national security interests of the United States,’’ Courtney said.

— daniela altimari, courant.com, "Courtney, Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee to Hold Hearings on Recent Naval Accidents," 23 Aug. 2017
Those stories are given such enduring weight because the heroes nobly died to protect the innocent.

— joanna robinson, vanityfair.com, "Game of Thrones," 21 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'protect.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of protect

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

protect Synonyms

Synonyms

bulwark, cover, fence, fend, forfend, guard, keep, defend, safeguard, screen, secure, shield, ward

Antonyms

assail, assault, attack

Related Words

avert, prevent; oppose, resist, withstand; battle, contend, fight, war; conserve, preserve, save; buffer, palisade, picket, wall

Near Antonyms

bombard, storm; beset, besiege, overrun; capitulate, cave, submit, yield

Synonym Discussion of 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

PROTECT Defined for English Language Learners

protect

verb

Definition of protect for English Language Learners

: to keep (someone or something) from being harmed, lost, etc.
: to save (someone) from financial loss caused by fire, injury, damage, etc.
sports : to try to stop opponents from scoring at (your goal)

PROTECT Defined for Kids

protect

verb pro·tect \ prə-ˈtekt \

Definition of protect for Students

protected; protecting

:keep from being harmed especially by covering or shielding :guard

Law Dictionary

protect

transitive verb pro·tect

legal Definition of protect

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