safeguard
Americannoun
-
something that serves as a protection or defense or that ensures safety.
-
a permit for safe passage.
-
a guard or convoy.
-
a mechanical device for ensuring safety.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a person or thing that ensures protection against danger, damage, injury, etc
-
a document authorizing safe-conduct
verb
Other Word Forms
- unsafeguarded adjective
Etymology
Origin of safeguard
1325–75; Middle English savegarde (noun) safe conduct < Middle French salvegarde, sauvegarde. See safe, guard
Explanation
A safeguard is a defense or precaution. You could describe a flu shot as a safeguard against getting sick, for example. Safeguards protect against something negative, whether it's an attacking army invading a country or a boy you don't like much asking you to the prom. A store's security system is a safeguard against theft, and a secret password is a safeguard against your sister reading your email. You can use it as a verb too: "We clearly need to safeguard our Halloween candy so Mom and Dad don't steal it after we go to bed."
Vocabulary lists containing safeguard
Declaration of the Rights of Woman (1791)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Herbert Hoover on "Rugged Individualism" (1928)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
A Single Shard
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
It is a safeguard against intentional racial discrimination.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
Yet while they’re talking and asking questions, clients haven’t been making a notable shift in allocating to things like Treasury inflation-protected securities, which are designed to safeguard against rising price pressures.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026
“SLB demobilized operations in a number of countries in response to customer actions to safeguard personnel and facilities,” Le Peuch said.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
"Our position has been to safeguard our neutrality while demonstrating our humanitarian values," President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in a statement at the time.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
To safeguard our society, a system of laws has been created.
From "Monster" by Walter Dean Myers
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.
