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
-
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
-
commerce to provide funds in advance to guarantee payment of (a note, draft, etc)
Related Words
See defend.
Other Word Forms
- overprotect verb (used with object)
- protectability noun
- protectable adjective
- protectibility noun
- protectible adjective
- quasi-protected adjective
- semiprotected adjective
- unprotectable adjective
- unprotected adjective
- well-protected adjective
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.
YouTube said it was working with leading talent agencies to refine how likeness detection can protect entertainers.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
"In that moment, everything shattered," Sam, whose name has been changed by the BBC to protect his identity, recalls several years on.
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
“The last thing I wanted was for him to feel like he needed to get a lawyer to protect himself from me,” Eberle, 56, says.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
Last season, the plan was to get bigger and better protect the rim with a 7-5 giant in Gabe Dynes alongside Ezra Ausar and Jacob Cofie.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
Nearby are saplings, each young tree bordered by fencing to protect it.
From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila
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.
