protectively

American

[pruh-tek-tiv-lee] / prəˈtɛk tɪv li /

adverb

in a protective way; in a way that serves to protect or expresses a desire to protect.

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:

protectively

The prince's private secretary speaks protectively of him: "Too loyal for his own good sometimes."

From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2024

Flat-pack ornaments that don’t need to be protectively stowed in a special container are a boon to small spacers.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 6, 2023

Females of the Muusoctopus robustus—the octopus species found in the garden—hover protectively over their eggs, their arms facing up, ready to swipe away any potential predators.

From Scientific American ● Aug. 23, 2023

He said firefighters protectively drenched a propane refilling station for forklifts in water.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 15, 2023

I held my bowl protectively, fearful that she might give me more of the stuff.

From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023