How to Use self-defense in a Sentence

self-defense

noun
  • Did the agent act in self-defense?
    — Marissa Armas, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • This all plays out on her big day at the self-defense school.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
  • How far do Texas self-defense laws go?
    — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Much of the book is written in the queasy tone of self-defense.
    — Maya Binyam, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026
  • At least four were deemed shootings in self-defense.
    — David Clarey, jsonline.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • She was not charged in the case after it was ruled to be self-defense.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 17 Feb. 2024
  • The law on self-defense isn’t as clear-cut here as in other states.
    — Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 17 July 2023
  • But no one had known whether there was more to the armor than self-defense.
    — Ari Daniel, NPR, 24 May 2025
  • Their claim was self-defense, sir, just don't believe your eyes.
    — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Friends told her to take self-defense classes and not walk alone at night.
    — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Not giving his real name was a form of self-defense.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Parker said Dews fired in self-defense but still broke the law.
    — Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2023
  • Some species can even vomit toxins as a means of self-defense.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 16 Feb. 2023
  • That shooting was later ruled to be a case of self-defense.
    — Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2025
  • His killing cannot be justified by a claim of self-defense.
    — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Her killing cannot be justified by a claim of self-defense.
    — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
  • People at the tent city agreed Sam had the knives for self-defense.
    — Jose A. Del Real, Washington Post, 19 July 2024
  • Here are the best self-defense weapons that are discrete and easy to acquire.
    — John Thompson, Men's Health, 27 July 2023
  • There are hopes for group haircuts and foot soaks and self-defense classes.
    — Jennifer Egan, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023
  • In self-defense, Theron's mother shot the man.
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
  • This wasn't legally self-defense.
    — Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Tole used pepper spray against him in self-defense, the lawsuit says.
    — David K. Li, NBC news, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Iran will exercise its right to self-defense.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
  • All said the officer fired in self-defense.
    — Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Se-ah must fight Na-ri off again in the spirit world, killing her in self-defense.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Any nation would do the same, as a simple matter of self-defense.
    — Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 12 Oct. 2023
  • In eight states, a person is allowed to use deadly force in self-defense.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 21 Apr. 2023
  • How can education serve as a means of self-defense at protests?
    — Heidi Reynolds-Stenson, The Conversation, 29 Jan. 2026
  • The victim stabbed his assailant three times in self-defense, Heims said.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2023
  • Alvarez’s defense claimed that the shooting had been done in self-defense.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024

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

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