self-protection

noun

self-pro·​tec·​tion ˌself-prə-ˈtek-shən How to pronounce self-protection (audio)
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 To ensure safe purchases, cyber safety network Gen, which owns and operates Norton and LifeLock brands, recommends users follow their seven self-protection tips when using Facebook Marketplace or similar secondhand-shopping platforms. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Particularly, if your attempts to set boundaries or assert yourself are consistently met with defensiveness, hostility or disregard, this method may be a valuable strategy for disengagement and self-protection. Mark Travers, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Code-switching is a form of self-protection for Black Americans, who regularly face anti-Black bias on the job, said Darin Johnson, a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication and a member of the Communication Neuroscience Lab. Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2024 Her clasped hands cross her head, covering her face in a gesture of self-protection and self-effacement. Farah Peterson, The Atlantic, 14 Dec. 2023 Still, if women keep allowing fear and ambivalence and self-protection to censor the truth, where’s the progress in that? Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2023 Yet Chalamet gave him layers — a sliver of pitiable self-protection and tragic besottedness. Vulture, 8 Dec. 2023 People with low trust in their partner tend to recall their partner’s mistakes negatively, emphasizing self-protection over relationship dependence. Mark Travers, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 So was the murder a necessary act of self-protection or an avoidable crime of passion? James Wood, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'self-protection.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1635, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-protection was in 1635

Dictionary Entries Near self-protection

Cite this Entry

“Self-protection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-protection. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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