self-defense
noun
self-de·fense
ˌself-di-ˈfen(t)s 
1
: a plea of justification for the use of force or for homicide
2
: the act of defending oneself, one's property, or a close relative
Examples of self-defense in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The older brother began preparing to fight in self-defense.
—
Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025
Lawyers for the Harris County traffic cop said missteps by an officer prior to an escalating event do not strip them of the right to self-defense thereafter.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Guns, on the one hand, make violent crime much more deadly, but at the same time, can also be used for self-defense against crime.
—Jens Ludwig, Time, 15 May 2025
The vessel, decommissioned in 2003, now serves as a self-defense test ship for experimental Navy weapons.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-defense
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Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025
Lawyers for the Harris County traffic cop said missteps by an officer prior to an escalating event do not strip them of the right to self-defense thereafter.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Guns, on the one hand, make violent crime much more deadly, but at the same time, can also be used for self-defense against crime.
—Jens Ludwig, Time, 15 May 2025
The vessel, decommissioned in 2003, now serves as a self-defense test ship for experimental Navy weapons.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-defense
Cite this Entry
“Self-defense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-defense. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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