safeguard 1 of 2

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as in precaution
a measure taken to preclude loss or injury safeguards that were intended to assure our security, but not at the expense of our liberty

Synonyms & Similar Words

safeguard

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word safeguard different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of safeguard are defend, guard, protect, and shield. While all these words mean "to keep secure from danger or against attack," safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

our civil liberties must be safeguarded

When might defend be a better fit than safeguard?

While the synonyms defend and safeguard are close in meaning, defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

defend the country

When is it sensible to use guard instead of safeguard?

Although the words guard and safeguard have much in common, guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

White House entrances are well guarded

When is protect a more appropriate choice than safeguard?

The words protect and safeguard are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure.

a hard hat to protect your head

When could shield be used to replace safeguard?

The synonyms shield and safeguard are sometimes interchangeable, but shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

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 safeguard
Noun
And hundreds of companies have put no safeguards in place. Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025 As a safeguard, Microsoft is asking users to opt in to the Copilot experiences first. PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
The formula gets its sunray-shielding benefits from broad-spectrum chemical UV filters, which safeguard against damage while ensuring skin remains moisturized via aloe, hyaluronic acid, and squalane. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2025 The labels have been working independently to safeguard copyright and Spotify has rolled out products like AI DJ and AI Playlist and AI . Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for safeguard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for safeguard
Noun
  • An unexpected hard freeze can damage flower buds on old wood-blooming varieties, but proper protection can prevent this.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Just remember, tents do not offer protection from lightning.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • So, taking these precautions now can help keep your accounts and personal data secure.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Waugh said the low-voltage fault triggered the ride to automatically stop as a precaution as part of the safety system installed on the ride.
    Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Frank wanted to sign another senior centre-back in the summer to protect Van de Ven and Romero, who both missed large chunks of last season with muscle issues.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Money that could strengthen communities or fund innovation instead sits idle, protected by leverage and loopholes.
    Scott Ellis, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Investors cheered the improbable rise of the amateur heavy metal drummer and hard-line conservative, who’s expected to increase defense spending, cut taxes, and revive Japan’s nuclear power industry.
    Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Rare earths are used to produce high-performance magnets that are essential in defense systems, semiconductors, robotics, and electric vehicles.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Eric, 41, defended the exchange in multiple interviews, touting his family's real estate projects in Indonesia.
    Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
  • John Stamos is defending his former Full House costar Lori Loughlin for her part in the 2019 college admissions scandal, blaming her ex-husband Mossimo Giannulli.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Never one to sit idly by, Danny grabs his NYPD shield and goes bulldozing his way to the crime scene.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
  • While technical hurdles remain, including heat-shield reliability, orbital docking, and rapid turnaround between flights, SpaceX’s progress illustrates how iterative engineering and reusable design can accelerate advancement.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Inside his vehicle, officers found an AR-15 with 27 rounds of ammunition.
    Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Aircraft, ammunition belts, bolts of fabric, mine-working, kilt-making, cement-mixing, nuns, saris and American football have all been marshaled as explanations.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Safeguard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/safeguard. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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