as in guarding
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as in defending
to drive danger or attack away from
the mother bear was just trying to protect her cubs
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Recent Examples of protecting
Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Our highest priority is the safety of our people, the security of our assets, protecting the environment.
—CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Knowing what to do if a power surge damages your appliances and electronics is essential for protecting your home, preventing future issues, and reporting damages clearly and concisely to your insurance company and the local electric company.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2026
Effective vole control includes keeping grass mowed, minimizing mulch, using traps, and protecting young trees with hardware cloth tubes.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Watermelon has a host of health benefits including protecting one's joints from inflammation, improving digestive conditions and being more rich in lycopene than any other fruit.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
This is about protecting your energy and making decisions that won’t drain you long-term.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
The annual holiday to celebrate the outdoors, wildlife and protecting the environment is now in its 56th anniversary with thousands of events across the United States and the world.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Supporters of this measure, including the politicians who recently argued for it in these pages, claim this is about protecting girls and preserving fairness in sports.
—Mike Smith, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
Verb
Ahead of them, Joe Willock (white) was in position to defend a short corner and Jacob Murphy (orange) played a hybrid role to help disrupt Gabriel, before protecting the area near the penalty spot and also keeping an eye out for late runners.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Our highest priority is the safety of our people, the security of our assets, protecting the environment.
—CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Knowing what to do if a power surge damages your appliances and electronics is essential for protecting your home, preventing future issues, and reporting damages clearly and concisely to your insurance company and the local electric company.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2026
Effective vole control includes keeping grass mowed, minimizing mulch, using traps, and protecting young trees with hardware cloth tubes.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Watermelon has a host of health benefits including protecting one's joints from inflammation, improving digestive conditions and being more rich in lycopene than any other fruit.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
This is about protecting your energy and making decisions that won’t drain you long-term.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
The annual holiday to celebrate the outdoors, wildlife and protecting the environment is now in its 56th anniversary with thousands of events across the United States and the world.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Supporters of this measure, including the politicians who recently argued for it in these pages, claim this is about protecting girls and preserving fairness in sports.
—Mike Smith, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protecting
Verb
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Just as significantly, Anunoby spent much of Tuesday night defending Jalen Johnson, the resurgent Hawks’ only All-Star, who finished with a modest 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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Then Quentin Davie, the new coach of defending champion Hebron Christian and a close friend, called with an opportunity to join his staff.—
Jack Leo,
AJC.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For now, the Prado is not exhibiting the work so much as safeguarding it, turning a private divorce into a public custody battle over one of the few Velázquez paintings still outside institutional hands.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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By combining cutting-edge protection, mobility, and digital integration, these vehicles are set to play a crucial role in enhancing military effectiveness and safeguarding personnel.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Bartholomew was shot and killed inside Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital Saturday morning while guarding someone in custody.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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Anunoby began the series primarily guarding 6-10 center Onyeka Okongwu, a shooting threat who thrives at the pick-and-pop.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In another, Hurst snapped a picture of a man sleeping rough on a slab of cardboard, one arm shielding his eyes from the sun, and the other pulling up his shirt suggestively.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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The evolving dynamic was on full display outside the Supreme Court on April 27, when a group of activists protested a case about shielding pesticide companies from cancer lawsuits.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Protecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protecting. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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