as in defensive
intended to resist or prevent attack or aggression
the cat drew back its ears and sank into a protective posture as the dog approached it
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Recent Examples of protective
Damage to the facility’s outer protective structure has compromised safety functions designed to prevent the release of radioactivity into the environment.
—
Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 15 Apr. 2026
On June 28, 2024, he was served with an emergency protective order and a notice of intent to terminate from the Costa Mesa Police Department, but after leaving headquarters, Josett drove by the woman’s home in violation of the restraining order and was arrested, Edds said.
—Nathaniel Percy, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
The exes are also ordered to appear remotely at a court hearing April 30 to review the merits of Mortensen’s protective order against Paul.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
After being briefed by his protective detail, Vance was informed that the event remained safe and chose to proceed.
—Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Mortensen and Paul have also filed temporary protective orders against each other, according to court records.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 15 Apr. 2026
The decline in charges does not have a direct effect on Mortensen’s protective order against Paul, which has been temporarily granted and could become long-term at an April 30 hearing.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
And yet, at the same time, the Heat were protective to the degree of reportedly having Ware off limits in trade discussion for Kevin Durant.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
Even small hail impacts can weaken protective layers, shorten a roof’s lifespan, and create vulnerabilities that may not surface until months later.
—Ethan Stone, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 15 Apr. 2026
On June 28, 2024, he was served with an emergency protective order and a notice of intent to terminate from the Costa Mesa Police Department, but after leaving headquarters, Josett drove by the woman’s home in violation of the restraining order and was arrested, Edds said.
—Nathaniel Percy, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
The exes are also ordered to appear remotely at a court hearing April 30 to review the merits of Mortensen’s protective order against Paul.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
After being briefed by his protective detail, Vance was informed that the event remained safe and chose to proceed.
—Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Mortensen and Paul have also filed temporary protective orders against each other, according to court records.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 15 Apr. 2026
The decline in charges does not have a direct effect on Mortensen’s protective order against Paul, which has been temporarily granted and could become long-term at an April 30 hearing.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
And yet, at the same time, the Heat were protective to the degree of reportedly having Ware off limits in trade discussion for Kevin Durant.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
Even small hail impacts can weaken protective layers, shorten a roof’s lifespan, and create vulnerabilities that may not surface until months later.
—Ethan Stone, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protective
defensive
Adjective
-
The coach indicated the team’s defensive issues are not player-specific, but rather ones that the group must address collectively.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Bombino’s defensive miscue knotted a match in which the 19-year-old delivered the first goal of the night — and the 100th across all competitions in the brief history of SDFC.—
Kyle Kensing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Protective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protective. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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