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protection

noun

Simple meaning

The process of keeping safe.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

pruhtehkshuhn

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

pɹəˈtɛkʃən

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. The process of keeping (something or someone) safe.

  2. The state of being safe.

  3. A means of keeping or remaining safe.

  4. A means, such as a condom, of preventing pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease.

  5. Immunity from harm, obtained by illegal payments, as bribery or extortion.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
A1 · Beginner (estimated)
Frequency
Very Common
Typical Use
Everyday English

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: The process of keeping (something or someone) safe.

Used this way, protection is a reasonably familiar word with a mildly favourable edge. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone
Slightly positive
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Moderate
How common
Moderately common
Connotation
Positive and appreciative
Usage feel
Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use protection

  • “They had no protection from the fallout.”noun
  • “They were huddled together for protection.”noun

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Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

fire protectionconsumer protectionchild protectiondata protectionequal protectionprotection agencyprotection actlegal protection

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Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Word family

Words built from the same root.

  • protectionismnounDerived noun

    The policy of imposing duties or quotas on imports in order to protect home industries from overseas competition.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

  • self-protectionnounCompound term

    The act of defending yourself.

  • sun protection factornounCompound term

    The degree to which a sunscreen protects the skin from the direct rays of the sun.

  • environmental protection agencynounCompound term

    An independent federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment.

  • trade protectionnounCompound term

    The imposition of duties or quotas on imports in order to protect domestic industry against foreign competition.

  • equal protection of the lawsnounCompound term

    A right guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution and by the due-process clause of the Fifth Amendment.

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.