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.

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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.

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Etymology

Origin of defense mechanism

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

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

From Slate • May 30, 2025

It is important to remember that inflammation is a defense mechanism of the body.

From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2024

"There is no other vegetable with a defense mechanism that if you attack it, it will spit sulfuric acid in your eyes."

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2024

Maybe it’s an actor’s defense mechanism, to try to be as forgettable as possible?

From Seattle Times • Mar. 2, 2024

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