human shield
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of human shield
First recorded in 1880–85
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.
After matches, national team supporters often form a human shield so that Mboladinga can leave the stadium without getting swarmed by fans eager to take photos or record TikTok videos.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
Up to now, Martin has been a human shield, an easy punchbag, but for all the animosity he drew no Rangers fan thinks that the club's problems began and ended with him.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2025
Celebrities had flown to Alabama to form a human shield around the marchers, the idea being that surely no one would take a shot at Belafonte.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 15, 2023
He’s a guy who earned a highly paid job by failing upward, knowing that his ultimate purpose is to be a human shield.
From Salon ● May 29, 2023
Kyle, Akimi, and Sierra formed a human shield to hide their Bibliomania box.
From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein
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.
