protected; protecting; protects
1
a
: to cover or shield from exposure, injury, damage, or destruction : guard
b
: defend sense 1c
protect the goal
2
: to maintain the status or integrity of especially through financial or legal guarantees: such as
a
: to save from contingent financial loss
b
: to foster or shield from infringement or restriction
salesmen with protected territories
protect one's rights
specifically
: to restrict competition for (something, such as a domestic industry) by means of tariffs or trade controls
3
: defend sense 5
protect a lead
: to provide a guard or shield
protects against tooth decay
protectively
adverb
protectiveness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of protect in a Sentence
He had no raincoat to protect himself from the rain.
She keeps her jewelry protected in a safe.
You have to protect your business against fraud.
New laws have been passed to protect your privacy.
The forest is protected by federal law.
The high taxes on imported goods are intended to protect domestic producers.
Sunscreen helps to protect against sunburn.
The insurance protects you against flooding.
The insurance does not protect against damage caused by earthquakes.
Recent Examples on the Web
However Botswana, and other conservationists, argue the activity can help revive animal populations, helping to fund communities, deter poachers and protect biodiversity.
—
Emma Ogao, ABC News, 4 Apr. 2024
In a virtual meeting this week, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken cast serious doubt on Israel’s ability to evacuate and protect Palestinians in Rafah.
—Mairav Zonszein, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
Florida Fishing License and Fishing Regulations Florida’s fishing license requirements, rules, and regulations help keep people safe and protect the state’s multibillion-dollar recreational activity and vital resources.
—Jp Shaffer, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
When observing a solar eclipse, the most important thing is to protect your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun.
—The Arizona Republic, 4 Apr. 2024
The Taipei 101 building, once recognized as the tallest skyscraper in the world, uses an enormous tuned mass damper (basically a giant pendulum) to protect itself from earthquakes.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
The conversation around protecting intellectual property adds to a broader set of ethical concerns about AI, including the prevalence of deepfakes and questions about the limits of watermarking to curb those and other abuses.
—Brian Cheung, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
California and the Sacramento area have taken the opposite approach, becoming, a sanctuary for trans individuals, and passing a slate of bills aimed at protecting LGBTQ youth and adults.
—Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 4 Apr. 2024
In particular, the review board faulted Microsoft (MSFT) for not adequately protecting a sensitive cryptographic key that allowed the hackers to remotely sign into their targets’ Outlook accounts by forging credentials, reports my colleague Sean Lyngaas.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Emma Ogao, ABC News, 4 Apr. 2024
In a virtual meeting this week, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken cast serious doubt on Israel’s ability to evacuate and protect Palestinians in Rafah.
—Mairav Zonszein, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
Florida Fishing License and Fishing Regulations Florida’s fishing license requirements, rules, and regulations help keep people safe and protect the state’s multibillion-dollar recreational activity and vital resources.
—Jp Shaffer, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
When observing a solar eclipse, the most important thing is to protect your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun.
—The Arizona Republic, 4 Apr. 2024
The Taipei 101 building, once recognized as the tallest skyscraper in the world, uses an enormous tuned mass damper (basically a giant pendulum) to protect itself from earthquakes.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
The conversation around protecting intellectual property adds to a broader set of ethical concerns about AI, including the prevalence of deepfakes and questions about the limits of watermarking to curb those and other abuses.
—Brian Cheung, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
California and the Sacramento area have taken the opposite approach, becoming, a sanctuary for trans individuals, and passing a slate of bills aimed at protecting LGBTQ youth and adults.
—Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 4 Apr. 2024
In particular, the review board faulted Microsoft (MSFT) for not adequately protecting a sensitive cryptographic key that allowed the hackers to remotely sign into their targets’ Outlook accounts by forging credentials, reports my colleague Sean Lyngaas.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'protect.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near protect
Cite this Entry
“Protect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/protect. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share