defense mechanism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But conspiracy thinking is not a knowledge problem; it is an identity defense mechanism.

From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026

For Divon, Pallywood is less a conspiracy theory than a psychological defense mechanism.

From Slate • May 30, 2025

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids likely first evolved as a defense mechanism in plants, which then became a commodity for moths.

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2024

"There is no other vegetable with a defense mechanism that if you attack it, it will spit sulfuric acid in your eyes."

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2024

We had created this idea of ourselves as a defense mechanism to survive in the world we were living in.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah