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

Of course, artists make choices in biographical shows for a whole variety of reasons, whether in service of the storytelling, to appease those who would prefer to remain anonymous or even self-protection. —Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026

Many now carry guns or other means of self-protection, according to a survey released two years ago by the nation’s largest real estate trade organization, the National Association of Realtors. —Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 29 Mar. 2026

Everyone turtles into their shell of self-protection. —Susan Parsons, Forbes.com, 12 Mar. 2026

But self-protection isn’t only about staying quiet. —Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 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