Synonyms

protect

American

[pruh-tekt] / prəˈtɛkt /

verb (used with object)

to defend or guard from attack, invasion, loss, annoyance, insult, etc.; cover or shield from injury or danger.

Synonyms:

shelter, screen

Antonyms:

attack
Economics. to guard (the industry or an industry of a nation) from foreign competition by imposing import duties.
to provide funds for the payment of (a draft, note, etc.).

verb (used without object)

to provide, or be capable of providing, protection.

a floor wax that protects as well as shines.

protect British

/ prəˈtɛkt /

verb

to defend from trouble, harm, attack, etc
economics to assist (domestic industries) by the imposition of protective tariffs on imports
commerce to provide funds in advance to guarantee payment of (a note, draft, etc)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See defend.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of protect

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin prōtēctus “covered in front,” past participle of prōtegere “to cover in front,” equivalent to prō- pro- ¹ + tegere “to cover” (akin to toga, thatch )

Explanation

Whether it’s your reputation or your jewelry, when you protect something you keep it safe from anything that might threaten or harm it. The word protect came into English by way of the Latin verb protegere, a combination of pro- meaning “in front,” and tegere, meaning “to cover.” When you protect something, in a way you’re covering it or shielding it from harm. Often the word is used in the sense of protecting something, like a valued item or a person, but you can also protect against something. For example, you might get a flu shot to protect against the flu virus.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"The expanding use of drones has fundamentally transformed the security landscape in Sudan," the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, an NGO, said last week.

From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026

“I was not surprised,” Kristy Parker, a former federal prosecutor at the DOJ and now special counsel at Protect Democracy, told me of Crenshaw’s opinion.

From Slate • May 28, 2026

The Campaign to Protect Rural England had a gorgeous carved wooden figure of Mother Nature, illustrating the theme of gardens at the edge of towns.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

Protect Los Angeles Residents, a coalition backed by fast food restaurants, claims the ordinance would be too costly and jeopardize the city’s restaurant owners.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

“Yes! Protect her, okay? She’s my friend. Get her back to California. There’s a demigod camp in the Oakland Hills— Camp Jupiter. Meet me above the Caldecott Tunnel.”

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023