protector

noun

prə-ˈtek-tər How to pronounce protector (audio)
Definition of protectornext
as in guardian
someone that protects the quarterback counted on the right guard as his main protector

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 protector At the heart of the celebration is Kyoto’s Yasaka Shrine, a Shinto site whose principal deity has long been revered as a protector against calamities. — ABC News, 19 July 2026 Tish Darling, 92-year-old matriarch and protector of the family fortune (or what’s left of it), has not returned to their family’s Cape Cod beach house dubbed Riptide since a tragic family accident decades ago. — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026 The one god who periodically turns up, Zendaya’s Athena – supposedly Ulysses’ divine protector against the wrath of Zeus and Poseidon and all the rest – has surprisingly little to do in this version. — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 16 July 2026 The combined decoy/penalty-spot protector was used for 15 of the 20 kicks, of which 73 per cent were scored. — Geir Jordet, New York Times, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for protector
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protector
  1. guardian
  2. defender
  3. custodian
  4. protection
  5. bodyguard
Noun
  • The collapse of the Quebec Bridge in 1907, which killed 75 ironworkers due to a calculation error and engineering inexperience, helped establish the professional engineer as a guardian of public safety.
    — Heather Wishart-Smith, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • Parents, guardians, grandparents and others can also contribute up to $5,000 per child per year.
    — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 27 July 2026
Definition of guardian
Noun
  • Sveindís Jónsdóttir scored for Angel City (7-7-1) in the 80th minute when defender Sophia Mattice sent a long ball forward.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 July 2026
  • The former clerk has also been a vocal defender of Kansas City’s new congressional district, which Republicans redrew last year.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
Definition of defender
Noun
  • Authorities say Borg worked for two years as a custodian for AUSD, but lost his job in 2024 amid a conflict with another employee.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
  • Those jobs belong to a separate custodian, who manages the retirement account paperwork, and a depository, who keeps the metals secure.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 21 July 2026
Definition of custodian
Noun
  • At the time, Abarca’s wife was granted an order of protection, which Abarca was charged with violating in 2025.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026
  • The allegation was just part of a drumbeat of US criticism over the cartels’ political protection rackets.
    — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of protection
Noun
  • Finally, there’s the Tower Penthouse Apartment, which occupies the top three floors of the hotel’s iconic tower and sleeps up to eight—not to mention a cozy single room for a traveling private chef or bodyguard.
    — Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2026
  • His teammates - more akin to bodyguards this summer - do the dirty work, which leaves Messi to focus solely on unlocking the opposition’s defense with his unrivaled quality.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
Definition of bodyguard

Browse Nearby Words

protective
protector
protectorate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Protector.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protector. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on protector

Nglish: Translation of protector for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of inveigle

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All