The opposite of protect is D. attack. When you protect something, you are keeping it safe from harm or danger. On the other hand, when you attack something, you are making a deliberate effort to harm or damage it. These two actions are opposite in nature:
- Protect: To guard, defend, or shield something from harm.
- Attack: To aggressively strike or harm something.
Therefore, in the context of opposites, "attack" is the term that best fits as the opposite of "protect."