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safeties

noun

plural of safety
as in guards
a protective device (as on a weapon) to prevent accidental operation the gun couldn't be fired as long as the safety was on

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 safeties And starting safeties Kerby Joseph (knee) and Brian Branch (Achilles) will begin the year on IR and miss at least the first four games. — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 Narbonne lost the City Section championship game in 2013 when three bad punt snaps resulted in three safeties. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026 Six of the safeties who Gonzales and Patterson coached at TCU went on to have NFL careers. — Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 27 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for safeties
  1. guards
  2. locks
Noun
  • The Earl of Nithsdale broke out of the Tower of London by dressing as a lady-in-waiting and slipping past the guards.
    — Bill Reinhard, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Unfortunately, the less said about China’s guards, the better; their main job is to get the ball past half court without turning it over and then feed the bigs.
    — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of guards
Noun
  • Google locks in nuclear power Google is a key partner in the restart.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Groups can request a maximum of $250,000 each for physical security measures at their facilities like lighting, locks, alarms, panic buttons, fencing, shatter-resistant glass and public address systems.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of locks

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safe sex
safeties
safety
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Cite this Entry

“Safeties.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/safeties. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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