protesting 1 of 2

adjective

as in complaining

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protesting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of protest
1
as in alleging
to state as a fact usually forcefully he protested that he usually was very good at baseball, and all the strikeouts were just bad luck

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2
as in objecting
to present an opposing opinion or argument plans to protest against the judge's ruling regarding admissible evidence

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of protesting
Adjective
The death toll includes at least 19 children, 21 non-protesting civilians, and 165 in government or security forces. — The Hill, 17 Jan. 2026 Among the dead were 13 children and 14 non-protesting civilians, HRANA said. — ABC News, 15 Jan. 2026
Verb
Controversy came—from members of the cosmopolitan Black art scene, who had been protesting modern art museums like the Whitney for not exhibiting more work by Black artists. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026 One week later, it was confirmed that the Biennale had reinstated the pavilion as the Taiwan Pavilion, the designation the Chinese delegation is now protesting. — News Desk, Artforum, 4 Sep. 2026 Police shot at an unarmed crowd protesting apartheid pass laws on March 21, 1960, and drew international condemnation. — Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 His mother, a Filipina immigrant, remained a lifelong activist, protesting the Marcos regime in her homeland and trying to block the eviction of Filipino tenants in San Francisco. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026 Fire survivors heavily criticized his proposal, even protesting outside the governor's mansion in Sacramento last week. — ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026 Nobody wants people protesting outside of their house or attacking them at restaurants. — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026 Lander, who is Jewish, attended a rally Saturday outside Madison Square Garden protesting the Hindu nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its leader, Mohan Bhagwat, who was speaking at the venue. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 31 Aug. 2026 Across Indiana this weekend, there were dozens of vigils and other demonstrations aimed at protesting ICE's detention of immigrants at Miami Correctional Facility. — Hayleigh Colombo, IndyStar, 31 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protesting
  1. complaining
  2. alleging
  3. objecting
  4. insisting
  5. claiming
  6. asserting
  7. declaring
Adjective
  • An energy vampire has bad body language, the complaining look on their face, the vocal complainer.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of complaining
Verb
  • For that, Sperr is suing Kress, alleging tortious interference with a contract.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The protest was part of an organized walkout at the Amazon warehouse calling for better working conditions and pay, alleging the company had illegally retaliated against workers trying to improve the workplace, according to the union.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of alleging
Verb
  • The conflict is hardly the first involving a living celebrity objecting to a fictional depiction.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The decision sparked widespread public debate, with students, teachers and even some astronomers objecting to the change, Smithsonian Magazine notes.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of objecting
Verb
  • Know More The government has, in the wake of Ruto’s comments, offered undocumented East Africans a 90-day window to regularize their status, insisting the policy is about enforcing immigration and business rules rather than targeting foreigners.
    — Vivianne Wandera, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Haaretz says Netanyahu responded calmly, insisting Israel was prepared and the greater threat lay in the West Bank, while his office now brands the report an ‘absolute lie’ and rejects calls for an inquiry.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of insisting
Verb
  • The imposition of the tariffs stemmed from a breakdown in negotiations between the two countries in August, with each claiming the other side had unreasonable requests that would be detrimental to their respective country’s workers.
    — Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Holmes founded Theranos in 2003 and became one of Silicon Valley’s most celebrated young entrepreneurs by claiming the company could perform a wide range of medical tests using only a few drops of blood.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of claiming
Verb
  • The world today is a theater of geopolitical rivals asserting civilizational identity.
    — Kurt Shillinger, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Data provided the basis for asserting AGOA’s growing significance to the apparel sourcing map.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of asserting
Verb
  • Against the backdrop of the collapsing US-Iran ceasefire, the Houthis retaliated by declaring a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia and threatening ships carrying Saudi exports through Bab al-Mandab.
    — Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Mere months after declaring his love for and dedication to the Canadian capital, Tkachuk forced a trade to Florida.
    — Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of declaring

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Cite this Entry

“Protesting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protesting. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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