as in defensive
intended to resist or prevent attack or aggression
the cat drew back its ears and sank into a protective posture as the dog approached it
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Recent Examples of protective
Its propulsion system uses non-toxic materials, which allows soldiers to handle it safely without protective gear immediately after touchdown.
—
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2025
Sam Johnson had decided to end a successful spray deodorant product line because the propellant in the cans used chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), the chemical compound harming the protective ozone layer in the earth's atmosphere.
—Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Food inside the prep refrigerator and the walk-in refrigerator lacked protective covers.
—Sarah Linn, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025
The investigation came to public attention after the girl's mother filed a protective order against Pruitt in August, accusing him of stalking her daughter.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 3 Oct. 2025
Use a vacuum to remove spiders and webs, and wear protective clothing during cleanup.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Oct. 2025
For instance, fusion doesn’t require all the expensive, nuclear-grade concrete that creates a protective dome encasing traditional nuclear radiation.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
However, every time a cell divides and DNA is replicated, those protective caps get a little bit shorter, eventually reaching a point where cell division stops.
—New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2025
The lightweight formulas of summer often need a boost, like richer creams, protective mists, and glow-boosting serums to help skin, hair, and body thrive in cooler, drier air.
—Essence, 1 Oct. 2025
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2025
Sam Johnson had decided to end a successful spray deodorant product line because the propellant in the cans used chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), the chemical compound harming the protective ozone layer in the earth's atmosphere.
—Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Food inside the prep refrigerator and the walk-in refrigerator lacked protective covers.
—Sarah Linn, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025
The investigation came to public attention after the girl's mother filed a protective order against Pruitt in August, accusing him of stalking her daughter.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 3 Oct. 2025
Use a vacuum to remove spiders and webs, and wear protective clothing during cleanup.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Oct. 2025
For instance, fusion doesn’t require all the expensive, nuclear-grade concrete that creates a protective dome encasing traditional nuclear radiation.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
However, every time a cell divides and DNA is replicated, those protective caps get a little bit shorter, eventually reaching a point where cell division stops.
—New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2025
The lightweight formulas of summer often need a boost, like richer creams, protective mists, and glow-boosting serums to help skin, hair, and body thrive in cooler, drier air.
—Essence, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protective
defensive
Adjective
-
Unfortunately, their defensive struggles continued once again.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Pittsburgh committed two other penalties on the final drive, but defensive back DeShon Elliott was able to knock the final throw down.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Protective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protective. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.
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