self-protection
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of self-protection
First recorded in 1855–60
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.
He refused to buy a weapon for self-protection even as his brothers and many friends armed themselves.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026
Judge Winmill observed that the nation’s history and traditions recognized “a right to self-protection and self-preservation” permitting otherwise unlawful acts “when necessary to prevent harm to oneself or another.”
From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026
Within industries, as a supply-chain crisis unfolds, fear and self-protection instincts kick in, with hoarding and company-level stockpiling resulting in confusing demand signals that make it hard for upstream producers to respond.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 2026
She explains that children often lie instinctively as a form of self-protection to avoid being told off and adults may also lie automatically in moments of panic.
From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2026
Kate had laughed too—the quickest and best self-protection.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
