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shield

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verb

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of shield are defend, guard, protect, and safeguard. While all these words mean "to keep secure from danger or against attack," shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

When might defend be a better fit than shield?

Although the words defend and shield have much in common, defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

defend the country

When is it sensible to use guard instead of shield?

The words guard and shield can be used in similar contexts, but guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

White House entrances are well guarded

When would protect be a good substitute for shield?

The words protect and shield 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 safeguard be used to replace shield?

While the synonyms safeguard and shield are close in meaning, safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

our civil liberties must be safeguarded

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 shield
Noun
The Pentagon's Golden Dome missile defense shield will be a lot of things. Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025 Instead, she was seen as a number and shield for Rachel. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 25 July 2025
Verb
In the filing, her attorneys argued that Maxwell's conviction was invalid because an agreement federal prosecutors struck with Epstein in Florida shielded her and other associates from criminal charges. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 July 2025 Manipulation is shielded from public or congressional scrutiny by routine bogus claims of executive privilege or state secrets. Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 24 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for shield
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shield
Noun
  • When the second half eventually started, there was more offense than defense yet again, as Collier led the way with 36 points to help her squad beat Clark’s, 151-131, to win the All-Star Game.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2025
  • The obvious question facing Minter and his defense is whether the Chargers can repeat their efficiency during the upcoming season.
    Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 20 July 2025
Verb
  • Experts recommend proactive zoning regulations to manage data center growth and protect communities from potential negative impacts. Data centers, the physical hubs helping power the modern digital world, appear headed for Kentucky.
    Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 30 July 2025
  • The other eight units protected by the reserve are: How did the museum designers choose Mill Bluff?
    Sofia Joseph, jsonline.com, 30 July 2025
Verb
  • And when the stock goes up, hedge funds have to pay money to cover their shorts or could sell their position.
    Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 26 July 2025
  • Add oil and 1/4 cup of the chicken broth; cover and cook over medium for 6 minutes if using chicken breasts, or 8 minutes if using thighs, stirring once halfway through (chicken will not be fully cooked).
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 26 July 2025
Noun
  • Salmon and other fish populations, deprived of hundreds of miles of quiet pools to lay their eggs and for the juvenile fish to survive and thrive, shrank by about 95%, which led the federal government to enact protections for some salmon populations.
    Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 21 July 2025
  • Never reuse passwords across platforms, and update them regularly for maximum protection.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2025
Verb
  • Mark was disappointed, but the poster defended himself, saying he’s helped before and didn’t want to be taken for granted.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 27 July 2025
  • In reality, a number of simple changes can defend against most attacks.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
Noun
  • Show who’s accountable, what safeguards exist, and why automation supports (not replaces) your workforce.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • Similarly, Grok 4 may have had less emphasis on eliminating bias in its training or fewer safeguards in place to prevent such outputs.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • In her later years, Toklas carefully guarded Stein’s legacy, rebuffing, and sometimes actively thwarting, biographers.
    Anna Russell, New Yorker, 28 July 2025
  • The world’s largest Superman statue guards the town square near the Super Museum with more than 20,000 Superman artifacts.
    Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
Noun
  • Kyrylo Budanov, head of DIU, said that Russia's ally North Korea currently supplies up to 40 percent of Moscow's ammunition.
    Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
  • Among the items police took from the apartment were 25 cell phones, two media players, headphones, two computer towers, a journal, a hard drive, some live ammunition... and a wig.
    Dateline NBC, NBC news, 16 July 2025

Cite this Entry

“Shield.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shield. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on shield

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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