safeguard

play

noun safe·guard \ ˈsāf-ˌgärd \

Definition of safeguard

1 a :pass, safe-conduct

b :convoy, escort

2 a :a precautionary measure, stipulation, or device

b :a technical contrivance to prevent accident

See safeguard defined for English-language learners

See safeguard defined for kids

Examples of safeguard in a Sentence

The new law has safeguards to protect the rights of citizens.
There are many safeguards built into the system to prevent fraud.

Recent Examples of safeguard from the Web

Those safeguards, Schwartz said, would include a policy specifying the exact situations when the devices could be flown and requiring a high-ranking officer to deploy them.

— kate mather, latimes.com, "Should the LAPD test drones? Police ask the public to weigh in," 23 Aug. 2017
Some establishment figures in both political parties view them as safeguards for the nation in a time of turbulence.

— robert costa, Washington Post, "Military leaders consolidate power in Trump administration," 22 Aug. 2017
Canada hopes the agreement will strengthen existing provisions relating to the environment and labor safeguards, in addition to addressing climate change and adding chapters on gender and indigenous rights.

— lisa ryan, The Cut, "Canada Wants to Include Gender, Indigenous Rights in New NAFTA Deal," 15 Aug. 2017
Notably, this safeguard does not apply to the measures taken against Iran and North Korea, probably because lawmakers are less concerned that President Trump might be, um, compromised on those fronts.

— jay willis, GQ, "Donald Trump Is Very Upset About Congress Being Mean to Russia, for Some Strange Reason," 2 Aug. 2017
But putting another check into the system—removing one person's unfettered ability to destroy the world—will create another essential, lasting safeguard for the U.S. and the planet.

— the editors, Scientific American, "No One Should Have Sole Authority to Launch a Nuclear Attack," 24 July 2017
And conservatives say there is now so much concern about the integrity of elections that the public demands more safeguards against fraud.

— michael wines, Alaska Dispatch News, "Under fire as it begins, Trump’s voter fraud panel meets," 20 July 2017
The litigation hinges on whether U.S. surveillance practices afford enough privacy safeguards.

— reuters, Fortune, "Silicon Valley Is Oddly Quiet About Congress’s Internet Surveillance Debate," 19 July 2017
The Cruz amendment functions as a way to remove key safeguards against those death spirals.

— vann r. newkirk ii, The Atlantic, "The Cruz Plan Would Splinter Health Insurance Markets," 14 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of safeguard

Middle English saufgarde, from Anglo-French, from sauf safe + garde guard

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

safeguard Synonyms

Synonyms

aegis (also egis), ammunition, armor, buckler, cover, guard, protection, defense, screen, security, shield, wall, ward

Related Words

arm, armament, munitions, weapon, weaponry; fastness, fort, fortress, palisade, stronghold

Near Antonyms

aggression, assault, attack, offense (or offence), offensive

Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

safeguard

verb

Definition of safeguard

transitive verb

1 :to provide a safeguard for

2 :to make safe :protect

See safeguard defined for English-language learners

Examples of safeguard in a Sentence

laws that safeguard the rights of citizens
You need to safeguard your computer against viruses.
There are steps you can take to safeguard against identity theft.

Recent Examples of safeguard from the Web

This essential program of works will safeguard the clock on a long-term basis.

— Fortune, "London’s Big Ben Is About to Go Quiet for a Long Time," 14 Aug. 2017
In recent years, cities nationwide have gotten more vigilant about safeguarding their fauna, hiring professional arborists and toughening rules about how trees should be cared for.

— will weissert, star-telegram, "With Gov. Abbott leading them, Texas Republicans look to axe local tree rules," 11 Aug. 2017
On the last two days of the hearings, witnesses on behalf of TransCanada, the Canadian energy behemoth behind the pipeline, were called to discuss how the corporation would safeguard archaeological sites sacred to the Ponca.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "Why the Keystone Battle, and Others Like It, Will Never End," 10 Aug. 2017
What America badly needs is a debate, across the ideological spectrum, about how to safeguard American democracy from the new foreign threats that technology enables.

— peter beinart, The Atlantic, "Donald Trump's Defenders on the Left," 23 July 2017
Tito’s partnered with the Forecastle Foundation with a promise to donate up to $10,000 to help with their mission of safeguarding biologically-rich hotspots across the globe.

— justin sayers, The Courier-Journal, "Cats, puppets and art - oh my! - at Day 1 of Forecastle," 14 July 2017
But under new Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, there could be a massive shift away from protecting survivors and toward safeguarding the reputations of those accused of assault.

— meredith clark, Glamour, "The Woman in Charge of Investigating Campus Rape Thinks Most Reports Happen Because Students 'Were Both Drunk’," 12 July 2017
The resolution promises that the South Windsor Democratic Party will work to safeguard the civil rights and the dignity of all residents.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The South Windsor Edition," 3 July 2017
Birth control is incontestably about women's ability to plan their lives and safeguard their economic well-being, and organizations like Planned Parenthood are working to make sure that every woman has this.

— jennifer gerson uffalussy, Allure, "Tomi Lahren's Comments on Birth Control Prove She Has No Idea What She's Talking About," 26 June 2017

First Known Use of safeguard

1501

safeguard Synonyms

Synonyms

bulwark, cover, fence, fend, forfend, guard, keep, protect, defend, 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 safeguard

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

SAFEGUARD Defined for English Language Learners

safeguard

play

noun

Definition of safeguard for English Language Learners

: something that provides protection against possible loss, damage, etc.

safeguard

verb

Definition of safeguard for English Language Learners

: to make (someone or something) safe or secure

SAFEGUARD Defined for Kids

safeguard

play

noun safe·guard \ ˈsāf-ˌgärd \

Definition of safeguard for Students

:something that protects and gives safety

Drink water as a safeguard against dehydration.

safeguard

verb

Definition of safeguard for Students

safeguarded; safeguarding

:to make or keep safe or secure Refrigerating the food will safeguard it against spoilage.

Learn More about safeguard

See words that rhyme with safeguard Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for safeguard Spanish Central: Translation of safeguard Nglish: Translation of safeguard for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of safeguard for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up safeguard? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

safeguard

Definition of safeguard

Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd

Examples of safeguard in a Sentence

Recent Examples of safeguard from the Web

Origin and Etymology of safeguard

safeguard Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

Other Military Terms

safeguard

Definition of safeguard

Examples of safeguard in a Sentence

Recent Examples of safeguard from the Web

First Known Use of safeguard

safeguard Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

Synonym Discussion of safeguard

SAFEGUARD Defined for English Language Learners

safeguard

Definition of safeguard for English Language Learners

safeguard

Definition of safeguard for English Language Learners

SAFEGUARD Defined for Kids

safeguard

Definition of safeguard for Students

safeguard

Definition of safeguard for Students

Learn More about safeguard

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

"Immune to" or "Immune from"?

9 Slang Words With Academic Origins

Trending: 'Bodega' Startup Draws Criticism, Mockery

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

Words of the Year: 1066