defence mechanism
Britishnoun
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psychoanal a usually unconscious mental process designed to reduce the anxiety, shame, etc, associated with instinctive desires
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physiol the protective response of the body against disease organisms
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.
They found Madagascar "hissing" cockroaches, a bulky insect named for its noisy defence mechanism, and dubia cockroaches, an invasive critter bred as a snack for pet lizards.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
The "highly distinctive, prominent horns" are only on the female bee and may be used as a defence mechanism, to gather pollen or nectar, or to collect materials such as resin for nests.
From BBC • Nov. 10, 2025
Experts have since debated whether Stockholm syndrome is an actual psychiatric condition, with some arguing it is a defence mechanism to cope with traumatic situations.
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2025
When it works properly, the p53 protein serves as a powerful defence mechanism against cancer development by ensuring that cells with compromised DNA either get repaired or removed from our body.
From Science Daily • Nov. 28, 2023
The Fire Crab does, however, have its own defence mechanism: it shoots flames from its rear end when attacked.
From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
