shield 1 of 2

noun

ˈshēld How to pronounce shield (audio)
Definition of shieldnext
as in defense
means or method of defending the slightly built boy used his sharp wit as a shield against the school's bullies

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shield

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to protect
to drive danger or attack away from celebrities who are shielded by a cluster of bodyguards whenever they appear in public

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cover
to place a protective layer over she shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word shield different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of shield are defend, guard, protect, and safeguard. While all these words mean "to keep secure from danger or against attack," shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

When might defend be a better fit than shield?

Although the words defend and shield have much in common, defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

defend the country

When is it sensible to use guard instead of shield?

The words guard and shield can be used in similar contexts, but guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

White House entrances are well guarded

When would protect be a good substitute for shield?

The words protect and shield are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure.

a hard hat to protect your head

When could safeguard be used to replace shield?

While the synonyms safeguard and shield are close in meaning, safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

our civil liberties must be safeguarded

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 shield
Noun
The Pentagon's Golden Dome missile defense shield will be a lot of things. —Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025 Instead, she was seen as a number and shield for Rachel. —Dalton Ross, EW.com, 25 July 2025
Verb
In the filing, her attorneys argued that Maxwell's conviction was invalid because an agreement federal prosecutors struck with Epstein in Florida shielded her and other associates from criminal charges. —Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 July 2025 Manipulation is shielded from public or congressional scrutiny by routine bogus claims of executive privilege or state secrets. —Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 24 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for shield
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shield
  1. defense
  2. protect
  3. cover
  4. protection
  5. defend
  6. safeguard
  7. guard
  8. ammunition
Noun
  • Emily Andrews, a defense attorney for Thompson, said that the verdict was surprising.
    — Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2025
  • Prosecutors and defense attorneys will always disagree on individual cases, that’s the nature of our legal system.
    — Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2025
Definition of defense
Verb
  • Experts recommend proactive zoning regulations to manage data center growth and protect communities from potential negative impacts. Data centers, the physical hubs helping power the modern digital world, appear headed for Kentucky.
    — Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 30 July 2025
  • When the grid goes down, Base Power will protect customers’ homes from power outages.
    — Beck Andrew Salgado, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Definition of protect
Verb
  • It’s covered in a montage bathed in the gorgeous greens and blues of the Upstate New York landscape, and bursting with a kind of joyful spontaneity.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 26 July 2025
  • Add oil and 1/4 cup of the chicken broth; cover and cook over medium for 6 minutes if using chicken breasts, or 8 minutes if using thighs, stirring once halfway through (chicken will not be fully cooked).
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 26 July 2025
Definition of cover
Noun
  • Additional privacy protections for all users can also be built into the system's architecture, not added as an afterthought.
    — Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
  • Frank, 51, has mainly used a 4-2-3-1 formation that offers the defence better protection.
    — Jay Harris, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
Definition of protection
Verb
  • Mark was disappointed, but the poster defended himself, saying he’s helped before and didn’t want to be taken for granted.
    — Ashley Vega, People.com, 27 July 2025
  • And the reason is simple: Indy is a track where the Hendrick cars are always strong, with Larson being the defending race winner.
    — Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 26 July 2025
Definition of defend
Noun
  • Show who’s accountable, what safeguards exist, and why automation supports (not replaces) your workforce.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • Similarly, Grok 4 may have had less emphasis on eliminating bias in its training or fewer safeguards in place to prevent such outputs.
    — Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
Definition of safeguard
Verb
  • The world’s largest Superman statue guards the town square near the Super Museum with more than 20,000 Superman artifacts.
    — Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
  • In her later years, Toklas carefully guarded Stein’s legacy, rebuffing, and sometimes actively thwarting, biographers.
    — Anna Russell, New Yorker, 28 July 2025
Definition of guard
Noun
  • Kyrylo Budanov, head of DIU, said that Russia's ally North Korea currently supplies up to 40 percent of Moscow's ammunition.
    — Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
  • Among the items police took from the apartment were 25 cell phones, two media players, headphones, two computer towers, a journal, a hard drive, some live ammunition... and a wig.
    — Dateline NBC, NBC news, 16 July 2025
Definition of ammunition

Browse Nearby Words

shied (from or away from)
shield
shielded
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shield.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shield. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on shield

Nglish: Translation of shield for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shield

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