protective

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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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for protective
defensive
Adjective
  • As for his defensive game, neither of the past two Padres managers, one of them former catcher Bob Melvin, seemed wild about it.
    Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 July 2025
  • His production came despite often dealing with defensive menace Carter Bryant, who San Antonio selected 14th overall this year.
    Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
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“Protective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protective. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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