safeguard

1 of 2

noun

safe·​guard ˈsāf-ˌgärd How to pronounce safeguard (audio)
1
2
a
: a precautionary measure, stipulation, or device
b
: a technical contrivance to prevent accident

safeguard

2 of 2

verb

safeguarded; safeguarding; safeguards

transitive verb

1
: to provide a safeguard for
2
: to make safe : protect
Choose the Right Synonym for safeguard

defend, protect, shield, guard, safeguard mean to keep secure from danger or against attack.

defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

defend the country

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

shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

White House entrances are well guarded

safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

our civil liberties must be safeguarded

Examples of safeguard in a Sentence

Noun The new law has safeguards to protect the rights of citizens. There are many safeguards built into the system to prevent fraud. Verb laws that safeguard the rights of citizens You need to safeguard your computer against viruses. There are steps you can take to safeguard against identity theft.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Civil rights leaders and activists say Project 2025 is the work of a small minority of vocal conservatives who are trying to roll back civil rights laws and water down safeguards against racial discrimination. USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 As a safeguard, employers can request that workers include a disclaimer on their personal social media pages that any views expressed on those platforms are their own, not those of their employer. Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024 Halving was written into bitcoin’s code from the beginning to ensure scarcity and safeguard from inflation. Bruce Gil, Quartz, 3 Mar. 2024 China’s evolving regulatory and legal landscape surrounding generative AI is wrestling with two possibly conflicting goals: promoting innovation (or at least, supporting the growth of the domestic AI industry, which is not necessarily the same thing) and instituting safeguards. Johanna Costigan, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 In 2023, a government inspector general chastised DHS over the use of adtech, saying that the department did not have adequate privacy safeguards in place and recommending that the data stop being used until policies were drawn. Byron Tau, WIRED, 27 Feb. 2024 There are procedural safeguards to prevent misuse or abuse of the protest system. Sarah Ritter, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2024 Those words were supposed to be a safeguard against eternal suffering after death. Emily Ziff Griffin, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2024 To protect civil liberties, the city created a Privacy Advisory Board to help ensure that the technology used is appropriate and that there are safeguards against abuse. The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024
Verb
This will be the fifth phase of the work that, with a final sixth phase in preliminary planning stages, is intended to safeguard the tracks in place until 2050. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 Gun policy and violence prevention experts counter the agency can safeguard data while giving critical information to localities. Emma Tucker, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 Still, the urgency needs to be improved despite a joint statement by the Five Eyes intelligence chiefs emphasizing the global scale of the issue, stressing the need for international cooperation and public-private partnerships that safeguard critical infrastructure. Eric Noonan, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2024 The department will safeguard funds until they can be returned to people making rightful claims. The Arizona Republic, 27 Feb. 2024 Their dedication not only safeguards physical assets but also ensures the well-being of employees and clients. Kyle Russell, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 The plan to legalize cannabis is rooted in the goals of combating the black market, protecting children and young people, and safeguarding public health. Dario Sabaghi, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 By hiring professional fire watch services, everyone present can focus on creating and sharing memories, secure in the knowledge that a team of experts is safeguarding the location against potential fire risks. Kyle Russell, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 It was designed to safeguard public health in downwind states given that air pollutants can migrate great distances — including across state lines. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'safeguard.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English saufgarde, from Anglo-French, from sauf safe + garde guard

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1501, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of safeguard was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near safeguard

Cite this Entry

“Safeguard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/safeguard. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

safeguard

1 of 2 noun
safe·​guard ˈsāf-ˌgärd How to pronounce safeguard (audio)
: something that protects and gives safety : defense

safeguard

2 of 2 verb
: to make safe or secure : protect

More from Merriam-Webster on safeguard

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