defense mechanism
nounDefinition of defense mechanism
1
: an often unconscious mental process (such as repression) that makes possible compromise solutions to personal problems
2
: a defensive reaction by an organism
Examples of defense mechanism in a Sentence
She is projecting her anger on you as a defense mechanism.
the cell's normal defense mechanisms against infection
Recent Examples on the Web
Tracking these objects is mainly a defense mechanism, to ensure none are anywhere close to hitting Earth. — Leah Asmelash And David G Allan, CNN, "An asteroid bigger than the Empire State Building is passing by Earth next week. Here's why you shouldn't be worried," 1 Aug. 2019 The probe was outfitted with a fake jellyfish that mimicked the invertebrates' bioluminescent defense mechanism, which can signal to larger predators that a meal may be nearby, to lure the squid and other animals to the camera. — The Washington Post, al.com, "Giant squid spotted in Gulf of Mexico in rare video," 24 June 2019 The probe was outfitted with a fake jellyfish that mimicked the invertebrates' bioluminescent defense mechanism, which can signal to larger predators that a meal may be nearby, to lure the squid and other animals to the camera. — The Washington Post, al.com, "Giant squid spotted in Gulf of Mexico in rare video," 24 June 2019 The probe was outfitted with a fake jellyfish that mimicked the invertebrates' bioluminescent defense mechanism, which can signal to larger predators that a meal may be nearby, to lure the squid and other animals to the camera. — Author: Kayla Epstein, Anchorage Daily News, "Scientists capture historic video of a giant squid," 24 June 2019 That's where the carnivorous cobra lily comes in—and their self defense mechanism could also save the rest of the plants in your garden. — Elizabeth Gulino, House Beautiful, "Carnivorous Cobra Lilies Will Actually Eat Pests For You—And You Can Buy Them on Amazon," 19 July 2019 The probe was outfitted with a fake jellyfish that mimicked the invertebrates' bioluminescent defense mechanism, which can signal to larger predators that a meal may be nearby, to lure the squid and other animals to the camera. — The Washington Post, al.com, "Giant squid spotted in Gulf of Mexico in rare video," 24 June 2019 The Medusa probe has a fake jellyfish attached to it, which mimicked the luminescent defense mechanism of a jellyfish and alerted creatures like the giant squid that a meal might be nearby. — Fox News, "Terrifying images show giant squid the size of a car caught on camera in US waters for first time," 24 June 2019 The probe was outfitted with a fake jellyfish that mimicked the invertebrates' bioluminescent defense mechanism, which can signal to larger predators that a meal may be nearby, to lure the squid and other animals to the camera. — The Washington Post, al.com, "Giant squid spotted in Gulf of Mexico in rare video," 24 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'defense mechanism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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