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
The state mandated that these policies be strengthened after large rallies and encampments protesting the ongoing war in Gaza swept through college campuses in 2024. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026 Anti-riot police officers face protesting students carrying out blockading action outside the secondary school Le Corbusier, in Aubervilliers, northern Paris on October 1, 2026. — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026 Some high school students in the city of Liège in neighboring Belgium also began protesting on Thursday. — Reuters, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026 And over 7000 letters were sent to library officials protesting the censorship. — Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026 There was a time when protesting ABC’s decision would have simply meant not watching ABC. — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 30 Sep. 2026 MoMA was a frequent target of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in 2024, including a major sit-in protesting some board members who had been accused of investing in Israeli arms manufacturers. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 29 Sep. 2026 The security buildup comes as university students have returned to the streets in Tehran, protesting compulsory hijab rules, rising education costs and political repression, videos published on Iran International show. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026 On Tuesday, five months after she was arrested for protesting at the Florida Capitol, Nixon was ordered to pay a $250 fine and complete 15 hours of community service rather than endure a trial. — Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 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
  • Lzzy Hale had an unequivocal message about the recent filing of a lawsuit by a former Cornell student alleging a gang rape and drugging in 2024.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The consignment came at a dire time for the gallery, which has faced multiple lawsuits in recent years, including one filed by artist Jeffrey Gibson, alleging the gallery was withholding hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales proceeds.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of alleging
Verb
  • Her crime was objecting, out loud, when another performer railed against Israel from a stage.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Since hitting the internet, the ad has triggered a negative reaction among those objecting to its sexualization of women in sports.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of objecting
Verb
  • Accoridng to People, the King is insisting that his private funds not be used in Andrew’s legal dispute with the police.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2026
  • They were thoroughly dominated by Chicago in a 23-12 loss on Sunday, a performance that left fans increasingly frustrated and the Jets insisting the franchise's past failures weren't seeping into the locker room.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of insisting
Verb
  • But anonymous Telegram channels claiming to be fact-checking organizations gained popularity and spread the false narrative there.
    — RENÉE DIRESTA, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Trans-exclusionary feminists like Julie Bindel or Kathleen Stock, and for that matter Davidson and Craven, enjoy regular access to the national media to delegitimize trans identity while claiming transgender people undermine women’s voices.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of claiming
Verb
  • Direct mail flyers sent to Charlotte homes in the south Charlotte area feature basket price comparisons against local grocers Food Lion and Harris Teeter, asserting competitive value on store-brand essentials alongside its premium offerings.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Shortly after Novig launched, the company slapped multiple states with lawsuits, asserting states cannot regulate the platform’s sports event contracts.
    — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of asserting
Verb
  • Newsom added, in apparent reference to the 25th Amendment, a constitutional provision that establishes procedures for presidential succession and for replacing or declaring a President unable to perform their duties.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The data underscore concerns leaders expressed in September 2025 when declaring the city in fiscal distress.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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