protection
Americannoun
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protections
plural
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the act of protecting or the state of being protected; preservation from injury or harm.
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a thing, person, or group that protects.
This vaccine is a protection against disease.
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- Synonyms:
- sponsorship, aegis
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Insurance. coverage.
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Informal.
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money paid to racketeers for a guarantee against threatened violence.
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bribe money paid to the police, politicians, or other authorities for overlooking criminal activity.
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Economics. protectionism.
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a document that assures safety from harm, delay, or the like, for the person, persons, or property specified in it.
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Archaic. a document given by the U.S. customs authorities to a sailor traveling abroad certifying that the holder is a citizen of the U.S.
noun
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the act of protecting or the condition of being protected
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something that protects
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the imposition of duties or quotas on imports, designed for the protection of domestic industries against overseas competition, expansion of domestic employment, etc
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Also called: protectionism. the system, policy, or theory of such restrictions Compare free trade
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a document that grants protection or immunity from arrest or harassment to a person, esp a traveller
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mountaineering security on a climb provided by running belays, etc
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informal
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Also called: protection money. money demanded by gangsters for freedom from molestation
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freedom from molestation purchased in this way
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Synonym Usage
See cover.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of protection
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English proteccio(u)n, from Late Latin prōtēctiōn-, stem of prōtēctiō “shelter,” literally, “a covering in front”; equivalent to protect + -ion
Explanation
Protection refers to keeping something or someone safe. Through protection, we shelter and defend things. Since protecting is to shelter from harm, protection is the act of doing so. Children are under the protection of their parents, who keep them safe. The Secret Service is responsible for the protection of the President. Many famous people hire bodyguards, who offer protection. A security guard offers protection to a bank or store. Also, a house gives you protection from the weather. Valuable things and vulnerable people need the most protection. Protection keeps things and people safe.
Vocabulary lists containing protection
Reef Awareness Day, List 2
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"Crittercam to the Rescue"
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 14
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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.
See Examples For:
Their UK security was downgraded after they stopped being working royals in 2020 and moved to the US, where they have paid for their own protection.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Vaccines prevent serious illness for many people, but the immune protection they produce can differ substantially from one person to another.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
After stepping down as a working royal, Harry was no longer afforded taxpayer-funded protection, a matter over which he lost a court battle last year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Viral clips showed RFK Jr. being quickly escorted away by protection officers, leaving Hines behind.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
“If protection is free, then please protect me from my debt, which I owe because I bought a silly servant.”
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
In 2022, the company submitted other trademark protections for recorded music and merchandise.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Personal-finance experts warn that nontraditional payment channels don’t always share the same consumer-safety protections as options linked to traditional banks, and can come with unexpected fees attached.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
In a blog post announcing ChatGPT for Teens, external, the firm said teenagers' use of AI "should come with protections that reflect their developmental stage, reinforce real-world relationships, and support healthy use over time".
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
"We just filed our motion in state court, explaining why the state charges must be dismissed under New York's double jeopardy protections," said Mangione's lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo on Friday after the guilty plea.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
Apparently the protections of the treaty were quite strong for those who totally abstained from magic and mischief.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
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.
