protects

verb

present tense third-person singular of protect
as in defends
to drive danger or attack away from the mother bear was just trying to protect her cubs

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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 protects The Idaho Consumer Protection Act, enacted in 1971, protects consumers from false, deceptive or misleading representations, advertising, pricing and contracts. — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2026 Rules finalized in 2024 also provided recognition that Title IX protects LGBTQ+ students and made live hearings optional. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 As with Medicare Advantage plans, the $2,400 out-of-pocket drug spending cap protects Original Medicare seniors from runaway costs on expensive medications. — Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026 Normalcy bias means that despite all evidence to the contrary, our mind protects itself. — Raj Panjabi, Time, 13 Oct. 2026 Cybersecurity protects systems against unauthorized access and manipulation, while functional safety protects people, equipment and the environment when systems fail or behave incorrectly. — Gregory Shahnovsky, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 And keeping the candles off the table leaves room for plates and protects guests from dangerous accidents. — Alexis Berger, Architectural Digest, 13 Oct. 2026 The Rural Boundary protects environmentally sensitive land, water resources, wildlife habitat and the rural character residents overwhelmingly voted to preserve. — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026 Officials said the agreement also protects Mableton's authority over several local government functions. — CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protects
  1. defends
  2. shields
  3. safeguards
  4. guards
Verb
  • Continue reading … SOUR NOTE — Hayley Williams unleashes vulgar insult at DHS after agency defends ICE officers.
    — , FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Hugo Weaving plays a brilliant but disgraced attorney, drowning in debt, who reluctantly defends an allegedly dangerous dog, battling to save its life.
    — Emily Longeretta, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of defends
Verb
  • With methane—a potent greenhouse gas—ousted from the atmosphere, and the creation of the UV-protective ozone layer (which still shields us from the sun’s rays today), the Earth began to cool and experienced one of its earliest ice ages.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The hacks could tee up a fight over liability reminiscent of the debate over Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which shields technology companies for material posted on their platforms.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of shields
Verb
  • Huang wants a financing and creative setup that safeguards Yen’s voice and the film’s Taiwanese character.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Nearly everyone safeguards their former glory, earned or not.
    — Ryan Chapman, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of safeguards
Verb
  • Later in the game, Heat guards Tre Donaldson and Myron Gardner shined.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The router comes with Advanced Router Protection, which guards your router, and a 30-day trial for Netgear Armor Security.
    — George Yang, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of guards

Browse Nearby Words

protectors
protects
protégé
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Cite this Entry

“Protects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protects. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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