safeguard
Americannoun
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safeguards
plural
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something that serves as a protection or defense or that ensures safety.
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a permit for safe passage.
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a guard or convoy.
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a mechanical device for ensuring safety.
verb (used with object)
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safeguards,
present (3rd person singular)
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safeguarded,
past participle, past
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safeguarding
present participle
noun
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a person or thing that ensures protection against danger, damage, injury, etc
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a document authorizing safe-conduct
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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safeguardsimple
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safeguardssimple
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have safeguardedperfect
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has safeguardedperfect
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am safeguardingprogressive
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are safeguardingprogressive
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is safeguardingprogressive
-
have been safeguardingperfect progressive
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has been safeguardingperfect progressive
Past
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safeguardedsimple
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had safeguardedperfect
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was safeguardingprogressive
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were safeguardingprogressive
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had been safeguardingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of safeguard
1325–75; Middle English savegarde (noun) safe conduct < Middle French salvegarde, sauvegarde. See safe, guard
Explanation
A safeguard is a defense or precaution. You could describe a flu shot as a safeguard against getting sick, for example. Safeguards protect against something negative, whether it's an attacking army invading a country or a boy you don't like much asking you to the prom. A store's security system is a safeguard against theft, and a secret password is a safeguard against your sister reading your email. You can use it as a verb too: "We clearly need to safeguard our Halloween candy so Mom and Dad don't steal it after we go to bed."
Vocabulary lists containing safeguard
Declaration of the Rights of Woman (1791)
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Herbert Hoover on "Rugged Individualism" (1928)
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A Single Shard
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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.
See Examples For:
Accident investigators probing an Amazon cargo flight crash in Miami are scrutinizing the speed of the aircraft, whether an airport safeguard might have helped prevent the tragedy and whether the weather played a role.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
A "fundamental adjustment of the global workforce capability is necessary" to safeguard the competitiveness of the company, which faces shifting demand and technological change.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
Some may have family here who can take over their businesses and safeguard their possessions.
From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026
“We can honor Captain Rebecca Marodi’s memory by joining together to safeguard victims of domestic violence and hold their abusers accountable,” Stephan said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
They spared fertile females and young lambs in order to safeguard the long-term vitality of the local herd.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
Despite the dire warnings, Harris pointed to signs that pressure for safeguards is growing, including calls from AI-industry employees to limit the development of more powerful systems.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026
And as researchers work to build safeguards, AI has shown, in some scenarios, a willingness and capacity to subvert human authority.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
ChatGPT maker OpenAI said Tuesday it was preparing to release its newest powerful model, known as Astra, after implementing "stronger safeguards" following a rogue cyberattack involving a different AI model.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
The assisted dying law would allow adults over the age of 18 who are expected to die within six months to be given help to end their own life, subject to certain safeguards.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
There were multiple safeguards to prevent the accidental release of a virus like Marburg Cardinal.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
The executive pointed to China, as well as Japan and South Korea—which both allow the sale of Chinese cars—as examples of countries that successfully safeguarded their domestic auto industries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026
"Anyone who came over the threshold of a church was supposed to be safeguarded irrespective of their age or gender or background," he said.
From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026
Of the 38 vulnerable people safeguarded and referred to agencies, nine of them were children.
From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2026
“We believe mining of metals such as nickel and copper should be safeguarded in Europe through competitive long-term business conditions,” Tom Soderman, general manager of Boliden Kevitsa, said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026
Even my father, who safeguarded his possessions with a military order and zeal, never bothered with it, considering it a colony of junk that was mine.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
“We view compliance as a fundamental priority and are fully committed to safeguarding consumer rights and building lasting trust,” said Jiazhen Zhao, co-chairman and co-chief executive of PDD.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
The charity said in 2025 it had improved its safeguarding processes both in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park and institutionally.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
The "deep, solemn" green colour "precisely evokes that period of the liturgical year dedicated to hope and to the safeguarding of creation", he explained.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
She has also recommended referrals which currently go to Prevent should go through a local multi-agency safeguarding team - which should include counter-terror police where needed.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
Who is safeguarding the consumer to see that no residues of dieldrin or heptachlor are appearing in milk?
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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.
