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
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Recent Examples of safeties
One option would be opening with three safeties (Fitzpatrick, Davis, Melifonwu), with Fitzpatrick in the slot.
—
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2025
After an embarrassing Week 17 loss to the Chargers, Hawkins sat talking with younger safeties Dell Pettus and Marte Mapu for over an hour after the game at his locker.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 1 Sep. 2025
The Canyon defense came up with two safeties.
—Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 30 Aug. 2025
With only three safeties on the Chiefs’ active roster, Edwards has a clear pathway to elevation.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2025
The team opted to let Camryn Bynum walk in free agency and enter the season with Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson and Smith as their top three safeties in their nickel-heavy defense.
—Trevor Squire, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
That includes a pair of hybrid secondary players in Chamarri Conner and Chris Roland-Wallace, who have primarily played cornerback in the past but have been cross-training with the safeties and could be relied upon more at that specific spot in 2025.
—Jesse Newell, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
For now, the defense has four safeties, five cornerbacks and six outside linebackers.
—Mike Kaye
updated August 26, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2025
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2025
After an embarrassing Week 17 loss to the Chargers, Hawkins sat talking with younger safeties Dell Pettus and Marte Mapu for over an hour after the game at his locker.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 1 Sep. 2025
The Canyon defense came up with two safeties.
—Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 30 Aug. 2025
With only three safeties on the Chiefs’ active roster, Edwards has a clear pathway to elevation.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2025
The team opted to let Camryn Bynum walk in free agency and enter the season with Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson and Smith as their top three safeties in their nickel-heavy defense.
—Trevor Squire, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
That includes a pair of hybrid secondary players in Chamarri Conner and Chris Roland-Wallace, who have primarily played cornerback in the past but have been cross-training with the safeties and could be relied upon more at that specific spot in 2025.
—Jesse Newell, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
For now, the defense has four safeties, five cornerbacks and six outside linebackers.
—Mike Kaye
updated August 26, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for safeties
Noun
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Dermish launched businesses to support the industry, offering everything from guards for drill sites to housing for oil field workers.—
ProPublica,
ProPublica,
4 Sep. 2025
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Products like organic soap sprays and organic horticultural oil control smaller pests, while tree guards, netting, and fruit protection bags are musts for deterring birds and large critters such as groundhogs or raccoons, or deer that may damage the tree bark.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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On Wednesday, images of Kate Middleton sporting a new blonde look surfaced on social media, and while many websites and Instagram accounts took to praising her lighter locks and reposting the photos, the comments sections of these posts told a different story.—
Alison Mann,
SELF,
5 Sep. 2025
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The seemingly ever-present A-lister has graced magazine covers for three decades, her haircut spurring thousands of women to lop off their long locks in the '90s.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Safeties.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/safeties. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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