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

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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
The new mRNA flu vaccine is also an option, as it was found in one study to be 27% more effective at protecting against illnesses in older adults than a standard shot. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Commanders at military bases and personnel protecting critical infrastructure often do not have the legal authority to destroy or degrade drones that illegally fly into their airspace. — Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026 Jaime is charged with protecting the dog and the property — which Isabel’s human heirs can only claim once Prince dies. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026 McCarthy reunited with Aaron Rodgers, his old Super Bowl quarterback, and Harbaugh inherited Jaxson Dart as the Giants’ established young starter and spent August worrying more about protecting him than replacing him. — Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 When protecting a client relationship affects margin, how much flexibility is acceptable? — Pranav Dalal, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 The challenge goes beyond protecting a reactor from conventional cyber threats. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026 This is more than a sophisticated arms race aimed at repelling threats and protecting borders. — Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026 Fertitta says protecting the American ambassador helps the Italian security personnel stay active. — CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protecting
  1. defending
  2. safeguarding
  3. guarding
  4. shielding
Verb
  • Hochul has made that argument in defending New York’s law, saying local officers should remain focused on investigating crimes rather than using state and local resources to perform ICE’s work.
    — María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • But by defending in this way, Chelsea are giving smart opponents the advantage in the battle for possession.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of defending
Verb
  • Those differing responses, paradoxically, hint at an underlying confluence of viewpoints – that safeguarding the growth and development of children and teenagers is not a one-and-done deal, left to individual court cases or settlements.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Organizations must extend hygiene to AI systems by securing training data, confirming model integrity, safeguarding prompts and outputs, preventing model poisoning and adversarial attacks, and controlling how AI accesses company data.
    — Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of safeguarding
Verb
  • Switzerland imagines Highsmith as a recluse in the Alps, closely guarding a cache of weapons and secrets after a lifetime spent writing mysteries.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
  • For weeks, migrants in the Spanish territory of Ceuta had gathered on a beach away from the city center, sleeping on cardboard sheets, under reed huts and guarding their few possessions in tattered plastic bags.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of guarding
Verb
  • Sheinbaum has denied shielding Rocha Moya but rejected Washington’s request to arrest and extradite the defendants without credible evidence, insisting that any prosecution take place in Mexico.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Las Vegas — Under a canopy shielding them from the desert sun that pushes temperatures to nearly 110 degrees, Las Vegas tourists rode zip lines down Fremont Street.
    — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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