defense mechanism

noun

1

: an often unconscious mental process (such as repression) that makes possible compromise solutions to personal problems

2

: a defensive reaction by an organism

Examples of defense mechanism in a Sentence

She is projecting her anger on you as a defense mechanism.

the cell's normal defense mechanisms against infection

Recent Examples on the Web

So, the ick is often our internal defense mechanism, working overtime to protect us from potential heartache, leading us to unconsciously push away great potential partners by focusing on unimportant qualities. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025

Some would argue that presenting happily on social media, a contradiction of the internal experience (e.g., depression), was a defense mechanism or a means of survival. —Essence, 10 Jan. 2025

Jod suggested that some sort of defense mechanism is also in play, but Brutus wasn’t having it. —Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 7 Jan. 2025

To help patients understand anxiety, therapists often compare it to being chased by a tiger, since anxiety was originally a defense mechanism against predators like tigers. —Kathryn Kvas, The New Yorker, 31 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

defense mechanism

noun

1

: an often unconscious mental process (as repression, projection, or sublimation) that makes possible compromise solutions to personal problems

2

: a defensive reaction by an organism