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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
This refers to calls to create a layered air defense shield using uncrewed vehicles to protect the bloc's airspace from Russia. Sam Meredith, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025 While officers in the garage tried to find Cook’s firearm before approaching him, Miller from outside the front of the house gave commands to other officers to retrieve a shield and a 40mm less-lethal projectile launcher, the reports showed. Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
Remember, tents do not shield you from lightning. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2025 Pinl said the interceptor drone would be best suited to shielding cities and critical infrastructure from drone attacks. Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shield
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shield
Noun
  • Its peptides, biotin, glycerin, and ginseng root extract offer a nourishing defense against breakage and brittleness, reviving the brows of numerous staffers at Allure HQ.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Air defenses were active in the sky over Kyiv, local officials there said.
    ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • With his back against the wall, Tony must draw on his tactical training to protect his family and survive a deadly showdown with a powerful crime syndicate.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Some Cosmists saw technology as destructive and transformative, while others believed its role should be to protect and preserve.
    Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Fifty-two of 64 analysts covering the stock have a strong buy or buy rating, according to LSEG.
    Sean Conlon, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Dell’s port selection covers but doesn't exceed the essentials for a mainstream laptop.
    Charles Jefferies, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Since applicants go through the renewal process every two years, immigration experts say that those with active status have already been screened by the government and given protection from deportation.
    Armando Garcia, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The council voted down possible last-minute changes to the deal that the Commanders opposed, including stricter environmental building standards and more protection for historic trees on the site.
    Annabella Rosciglione, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Tesla spent years defending, ultimately successfully, its 2016 acquisition of Solar City, Musk’s struggling clean-energy company.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Acosta defended the deal with Epstein in a news conference four days after the multi-millionaire's arrest.
    James Hill, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In fact, when safeguards fail or people use them without fully understanding the implications, very sensitive and potentially damaging information could be exposed.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • The company admits, however, that determined actors can still bypass safeguards.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The result is an erosion of individual agency and a system that guards access rather than broadens it.
    Anmol Verma, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • This conversation should always be open, hones, and not guarded or ashamed.
    Taylor Lane, Flow Space, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The country is splintered, and language gets used as ammunition.
    Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • The rifle that authorities believe was used in the assassination contained ammunition inscribed with antifascist messaging, sources confirmed to Fox News Digital.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 13 Sep. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Shield.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shield. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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