What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
defend
Example
The soldier bravely defended his country against the enemy. [defended: past tense]
Example
She defended her thesis with strong arguments and evidence. [defended: verb]
protect
Example
It's important to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays. [protect: verb]
Example
The police officer was there to protect the citizens from harm. [protect: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Protect is more commonly used than defend in everyday language. Protect is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while defend is less common and often used in specific contexts such as legal or argumentative ones.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between defend and protect?
Both defend and protect can be used in formal and informal contexts. However, defend may be more associated with a confrontational or aggressive tone, while protect is more neutral and positive in connotation.
