guardrail

noun

guard·​rail ˈgärd-ˌrāl 

: a railing guarding usually against danger

especially : a barrier placed along the edge of a highway at dangerous points

Synonyms

• balustrade
• banister
• bannister
• rail
• railing

Examples of guardrail in a Sentence

the car ran off the road, but fortunately only hit the guardrail

Recent Examples on the Web

The workforce will play a key role in the oversight of machines, ensuring that appropriate guardrails are in place and applying them in a creative, responsible, and ethical fashion. —Mark A. Cohen, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025

Congress and the Supreme Court allowed the executive to grow immensely powerful in previous administrations, but certain guardrails still held. —Elizabeth N. Saunders, Foreign Affairs, 16 June 2025

According to state police, a guardrail sustained damage during the collision. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 16 June 2025

Some Democrats also agree with a provision that would expand Pell Grants to weekslong training programs in fields like welding and cosmetology, even though consumer protection advocates warn that doing so without the right guardrails could lead to fraud. —Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 14 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for guardrail

• airmail
• assail
• avail
• bewail
• blackmail
• cattail
• cocktail
• curtail
• derail
• detail
• dovetail
• email

Kids Definition

guardrail

noun

guard·​rail ˈgär-ˌdrāl 

: a protective railing placed along dangerous areas (as of a road)