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

And drug literature can be a hard sell for some, especially if the reader feels anxious about their own coolness, and develops a sort of you-won’t-impress-me-so-there carapace in advance as a form of self-protection. — Literary Hub, 25 June 2026

Teams should not have to choose between honesty and self-protection. — Teresa Hopke, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

This can occur even before the leaves die as a measure of self-protection. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 May 2026

The moon's face off with Chiron asks you to balance self-protection with openness. — Usa Today, USA Today, 27 May 2026

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