protecting 1 of 2

adjective

as in guarding

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protecting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of protect
as in defending
to drive danger or attack away from the mother bear was just trying to protect her cubs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of protecting
Verb
Still, research like this hints at where oral health could be headed, moving away from simply protecting or replacing damaged tissue and toward materials designed to help rebuild tooth enamel instead. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026 That’s because the rocket aims for full reusability, with a novel upper stage thruster design and heat shield to solve the difficult problem of protecting a vehicle reentering at orbital velocity. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026 Gibson referenced the appeals court decision penned by Neff and warned the stations about the law protecting grand jury information. — Justin Garcia, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026 However, these disturbances will remain displaced north and west of North Texas, while the ridge continues protecting our region from significant rainfall. — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026 The transportation authority is finalizing a study in the coming weeks that evaluates strategies for protecting the seven miles of railroad through Dana Point and San Clemente for the next 30 years. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 But sustaining a species’ recovery requires protecting the conditions – and supporting the people – that make their survival possible. — David Ginsburg, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026 Defending Saudi Arabia means protecting a vast network of targets, not just Riyadh or a single refinery. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026 An estate planning attorney can speak about protecting a family’s future without guaranteeing probate avoidance or asset protection. — Matthew Nigro, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protecting
  1. defending
  2. safeguarding
  3. guarding
  4. shielding
Verb
  • The Knicks enter the 2026 season this week as defending NBA champions, as any New Yorker in your life would be happy to remind you.
    — Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Administration has invoked national security in defending other projects.
    — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of defending
Verb
  • The government pressured chipmakers to reprioritize order fulfillment, safeguarding the birthright of Americans to buy new trucks.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The book-length teaching, released in May, focuses on safeguarding the human person in the age of AI.
    — Sasha Tuddenham, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of safeguarding
Verb
  • The most direct tribute to Tippett came in the battle against two giant droids guarding an overlord’s chamber.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Their day jobs are with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), a specialized force tasked with guarding the peaks and passes of India’s 2,167-mile (3,488-kilometer) long Himalayan border with China.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of guarding
Verb
  • In Flanagan‘s take, Margaret is fiercely committed to shielding Carrie from the world’s dangers and from her classmates’ cruelty, even becoming a parental advocate in their community and on social media.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Long decided to show Carl standing in a spotlight, wearing white boxers with red hearts, shielding Princess Donut.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of shielding

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Cite this Entry

“Protecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protecting. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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