as in objections
a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent
submitted an official protest about her treatment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in claims
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in objects
to present an opposing opinion or argument
plans to protest against the judge's ruling regarding admissible evidence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 protests
Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
And Good’s death has promoted protests across the nation — including in Los Angeles, Pasadena and Long Beach.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 14 Jan. 2026
There are many who have rallied to his defense, holding vigils and protests in cities and towns across Europe to North and South America as well as throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
—Max Weiss, Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
The State Department said Rubio spoke by phone this weekend to his counterparts in France and Cyprus to discuss the ongoing protests in Iran.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 13 Jan. 2026
Perhaps in Iran, which has been engulfed by mass protests, leading the president to threaten action against an oppressive regime that has bedeviled the United States for nearly half a century.
—Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Reports found that up to 80% of Starlink terminals were down, but the trickle of videos and pictures about the protests coming out of Iran has come from these devices.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 13 Jan. 2026
The tensions follow the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an ICE officer, sparking dozens of protests nationwide over her killing.
—Mark Vancleave, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
The demonstrations are the biggest Iran has seen in years — protests spurred by the collapse of Iranian currency that have morphed into a larger test of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s repressive rule.
—Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
Iran protests over collapsing economy spread to universities Iranian authorities offered conciliatory gestures in a bid to stem growing protests over the country’s collapsing economy.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Specifically, a lawsuit filed in Manatee County by the Freedom Housing Alliance protests a recent hike in impact fees — fees paid by developers to support infrastructure needs caused by growth.
—Ryan Ballogg, Miami Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
Player protests across La Liga this weekend were not widely broadcast after the Spanish league asked TV companies not to show them, according to multiple people familiar with the request.
—Colin Millar, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
The other character who protests Prodigy wiping Nibs’s memory is Arthur (David Rysdahl).
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
While driving to the California protests, Vandenberg — who lives out of his car but was temporarily staying at an El Paso hotel — stopped at the travel center on Interstate 10, and purchased six large mortar fireworks and 72 M-150 firecrackers, prosecutors said.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
And Good’s death has promoted protests across the nation — including in Los Angeles, Pasadena and Long Beach.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 14 Jan. 2026
There are many who have rallied to his defense, holding vigils and protests in cities and towns across Europe to North and South America as well as throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
—Max Weiss, Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
The State Department said Rubio spoke by phone this weekend to his counterparts in France and Cyprus to discuss the ongoing protests in Iran.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 13 Jan. 2026
Perhaps in Iran, which has been engulfed by mass protests, leading the president to threaten action against an oppressive regime that has bedeviled the United States for nearly half a century.
—Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Reports found that up to 80% of Starlink terminals were down, but the trickle of videos and pictures about the protests coming out of Iran has come from these devices.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 13 Jan. 2026
The tensions follow the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an ICE officer, sparking dozens of protests nationwide over her killing.
—Mark Vancleave, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
The demonstrations are the biggest Iran has seen in years — protests spurred by the collapse of Iranian currency that have morphed into a larger test of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s repressive rule.
—Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
Walz is asking anyone who protests to do so in a peaceful way.
—CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
Iran protests over collapsing economy spread to universities Iranian authorities offered conciliatory gestures in a bid to stem growing protests over the country’s collapsing economy.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Specifically, a lawsuit filed in Manatee County by the Freedom Housing Alliance protests a recent hike in impact fees — fees paid by developers to support infrastructure needs caused by growth.
—Ryan Ballogg, Miami Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
Player protests across La Liga this weekend were not widely broadcast after the Spanish league asked TV companies not to show them, according to multiple people familiar with the request.
—Colin Millar, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
The other character who protests Prodigy wiping Nibs’s memory is Arthur (David Rysdahl).
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protests
Noun
-
The investigation into the killing of a US citizen by an ICE agent in Minneapolis this week is being complicated by clashes between federal and local officials, with the FBI taking control over the objections of Governor Tim Walz.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Following multiple delays, Keir Starmer is set to approve plans for the biggest Chinese embassy in Europe, after MI5 and MI6 declined to raise formal objections.—
Harriet Marsden,
TheWeek,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
One of the brothers claims that Busfield rubbed his genitals and touched his buttocks during the production, per the warrant.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Jan. 2026
-
No additional configuration or calibration is required, the company claims.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For a more permanent setup, mounting it on the ceiling keeps the projector out of the way and minimizes the risk of people, pets, or objects impeding the projection.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
With the broader spectrum in view, astronomers can see objects in the sky that are much colder than stars, but also objects that are far hotter.—
Martin Elvis,
The Conversation,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The retreat sparked criticism from other Democrats and spurred the filing of more than a dozen ethics complaints against Opportunity Caucus members.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
14 Jan. 2026
-
That solicitation, the teachers argue, resulted in complaints of unethical conduct filed against them by their employers.—
Clark Kauffman,
Des Moines Register,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Their mother claimed, the warrant alleges, that the crew used to distribute iPads so that parents could watch their children from another area during filming, but that once Busfield was hired, this practice stopped.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
-
In November 2023, the indictment alleges that Lopez Alvarez, Posas Alvarenga, and other CLS members murdered a person after using a fake Instagram account to lure them into the woods in Baltimore.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And also on Untucked… • Discord complains about Nini being in the top basically all episode, while other queens like Jane try to kindly not get down in the mud with her.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
3 Jan. 2026
-
Trump complains often that both rooms are too small.—
Darlene Superville,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Smith maintained many of the gifts cited by Cannon fell under exceptions to the disclosure rules, including those governing charity event tickets and gifts for birthdays or holidays.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Under that order, the government required citizens to turn in their gold in exchange for paper currency, although there were exceptions for jewelry, certain rare coins and small amounts for industrial use.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The strategy is designed to reshape the board that twice rejected Paramount’s bid and to rally investors behind a rival deal Ellison insists is superior on both value and risk.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
12 Jan. 2026
-
However, Alex insists that’s impossible.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Protests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protests. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
