defense mechanism

noun

A psychological strategy used unconsciously by people to cope with harmful or stressful situations.

Similar
defense reactiondefence mechanismdefence reactiondefensedefence
OriginGerman Abwehrmechanismus →
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

noundefense mechanism (plural defense mechanisms)

plural defense mechanisms · alternative defence mechanism

  1. UShuman sciencesA psychological strategy used unconsciously by people to cope with harmful or stressful situations.
  2. USevolutionary theoryAn automatic reaction of the body against foreign antibodies.

Synonyms & antonyms

noun(psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires

Similar
defense reactiondefence mechanismdefence reactiondefensedefence
Broader
psychoanalytic processprocessunconscious process
Also see
defencedefense

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. GermanAbwehrmechanismus
  2. Englishdefense mechanism

Calque of German Abwehrmechanismus, a concept in the Freudian model.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan mecanisme de defensa
  • mecanisme de defensapsychological strategy
Chinese Mandarin 自我防衛機制 /自我防卫机制, 心理防禦機制 /心理防御机制
  • 自我防衛機制 /自我防卫机制 (zìwǒ fángwèi jīzhì)psychological strategy
  • 心理防禦機制 /心理防御机制 (xīnlǐ fángyù jīzhì)psychological strategy
  • 防禦機制 /防御机制 (fángyù jīzhì)reaction of the body
Finnish puolustusmekanismi, puolustusmekanismi
  • puolustusmekanismipsychological strategy
  • puolustusmekanismireaction of the body
French mécanisme de défense
  • mécanisme de défensepsychological strategy
German Abwehrmechanismus
  • Abwehrmechanismuspsychological strategy
Korean 방어기제
  • 방어기제 (bang'eogije)psychological strategy
Russian защи́тный механи́зм, защи́тный механи́зм
  • защи́тный механи́зм (zaščítnyj mexanízm)psychological strategy
  • защи́тный механи́зм (zaščítnyj mexanízm)reaction of the body
Spanish mecanismo de defensa
  • mecanismo de defensapsychological strategy
Turkish savunma mekanizması, savunma mekanizması
  • savunma mekanizmasıpsychological strategy
  • savunma mekanizmasıreaction of the body
Cite this entry
APA

defense mechanism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defense%20mechanism

MLA

“defense mechanism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defense%20mechanism. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “defense mechanism,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defense%20mechanism.

Source: defense mechanism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.