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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
Expect to wear a shield to protect your eye for the first couple of days or weeks after surgery, particularly at night. Vanessa Caceres, Verywell Health, 11 June 2025 Clad in tactical gear and wielding riot shields and military-style rifles, federal agents lobbed non-lethal munitions, including rubber bullets, tear gas and flash-bang grenades, to disperse crowds. Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 10 June 2025
Verb
Miller sought to shield these women, her suit said, and as a result she was humiliated, harassed and ultimately forced out of her job by Spitzer and Nelson. Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 20 June 2025 The company also launched a new secure network architecture called Cisco Live Protect, which is meant to shield your network from an exploit within minutes to give your IT security team time to fix the underlying issue. Patrick Moorhead, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for shield
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shield
Noun
  • Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh also attended the Qingdao meeting, the first visit from an Indian defense chief to China since a deadly 2020 border clash between the two countries.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 26 June 2025
  • Big tech companies have at times partnered with major defense firms like Lockheed Martin, and acted as subcontractors or vendors for federal contracts, which means their names may not show up in a basic search.
    Danny Bakst, Fortune, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • No one disputes that a government’s first responsibility is to protect its own citizens.
    Michael Sheldrick, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • Agnes has born the brunt of the harshness of the world, and Ada has been protected.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Of the 55 who cover it, 25 rate it a buy or strong buy, according to LSEG.
    Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 20 June 2025
  • While most Medicare and Medicaid plans pay for weight loss drugs for diabetics, they aren’t currently covered for obesity.
    Sonya Collins, Fortune, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • As data protection standards in these industries become stricter in anticipation of quantum threats, solutions that incorporate quantum-resistant encryption are increasingly necessary.
    Robert Kramer, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • By the spring of 1975, Peltier had set up camp on the reservation at Oglala, offering protection to elders.
    Nick Estes, New Yorker, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • The administration continues to defend its use of tariffs by arguing that emergency powers give the president the authority to regulate imports during national emergencies, and officials have argued that the country's trade deficit qualifies as a national emergency.
    Peter Aitken Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
  • The Brazilian side defended resolutely and were able to regularly counter the French champions.
    Jack Lang, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • Despite known risks, there are currently no standardized safeguards requiring companies to detect or interrupt these escalating interactions.
    Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
  • Your Slack messages ask someone to override a safeguard.
    Ankush Chowdhary, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton has exercised his player option for the 2025-26 season, a league source confirmed to The Athletic.
    Eric Nehm, New York Times, 21 June 2025
  • Seven players – from Kayla Thornton to Burton to rookie guard Carla Leite to former college teammate Kate Martin and others – spent time guarding at least one Clark attempt.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • Authorities also seized drugs, weapons, ammunition, tactical equipment, vehicles and the two properties.
    Alexandra Mendoza, Mercury News, 18 June 2025
  • Hosts and guests are always required to comply with applicable laws concerning firearms, ammunition, dangerous objects, and other self-defense devices.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025

Cite this Entry

“Shield.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shield. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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