defense mechanism

American  

noun

1. Physiology. the defensive reaction of an organism, as against a pathogenic microorganism.

2. Psychology. an unconscious process, as denial, that protects an individual from unacceptable or painful ideas or impulses.

---

defense mechanism Cultural  

1. In psychology, a Freudian term referring to an unconscious avoidance of something that produces anxiety or some other unpleasant emotion. For example, someone who blots out the memory of a terrible accident is using a defense mechanism. Regression and sublimation are common defense mechanisms.

---

Etymology

Origin of defense mechanism

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

defense mechanism

But conspiracy thinking is not a knowledge problem; it is an identity defense mechanism.

From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026

Instead, seno-differentiation appears to serve as a stress-triggered defense mechanism that removes damaged stem cells before they can become harmful.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2025

For Divon, Pallywood is less a conspiracy theory than a psychological defense mechanism.

From Slate ● May 30, 2025

“It was a defense mechanism because of my past history.”

From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2025

We had created this idea of ourselves as a defense mechanism to survive in the world we were living in.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah