protect
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to defend or guard from attack, invasion, loss, annoyance, insult, etc.; cover or shield from injury or danger.
- Antonyms:
- attack
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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)
verb
-
to defend from trouble, harm, attack, etc
-
economics to assist (domestic industries) by the imposition of protective tariffs on imports
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commerce to provide funds in advance to guarantee payment of (a note, draft, etc)
Related Words
See defend.
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing protect
Motherlode: A Mother's Day Lexicon
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Check It Out, Mate: Chess Vocabulary
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Michelle Obama's Speech at the 2016 DNC
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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 researchers hope the findings encourage governments, organizations, and communities to focus on long term planning, recognize environmental limits, and support strategies that stabilize population growth, reduce consumption, and protect natural systems.
From Science Daily • May 27, 2026
After the data breach, Krispy Kreme paid $1.6 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging the company failed to protect customers’ data.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
Mid Suffolk District Council purchased 2.5 acres of land by the River Waveney at Palgrave for £25,000 in 2024 to protect it from being used for development.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
Yet even as more of these cases stacked up, there was no coordination between states to protect women.
From Salon • May 27, 2026
Plus, it must be a good sign that Mom still wants to protect the rest of the adults at the Ranch.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
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.
