defence mechanism
Britishnoun
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psychoanal a usually unconscious mental process designed to reduce the anxiety, shame, etc, associated with instinctive desires
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physiol the protective response of the body against disease organisms
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.
They found Madagascar "hissing" cockroaches, a bulky insect named for its noisy defence mechanism, and dubia cockroaches, an invasive critter bred as a snack for pet lizards.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
This kind of constant self-editing, Ms Kean explains, may act as a defence mechanism to avoid being seen as abrasive or overly assertive.
From BBC • Aug. 2, 2025
Strikingly, these moths lack hearing organs and are therefore not aware of their unique defence mechanism, nor do they have the capability to control it using muscular action.
From Science Daily • Feb. 5, 2024
Emily has always used humour as a defence mechanism to make light of the messages, but she says it's not funny anymore.
From BBC • Jan. 23, 2023
The Fire Crab does, however, have its own defence mechanism: it shoots flames from its rear end when attacked.
From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling
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.
