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warden

noun
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war·​den | \ ˈwȯr-dᵊn How to pronounce warden (audio) \

Definition of warden

1 : one having care or charge of something : guardian, keeper
2a : regent sense 2
b : the governor of a town, district, or fortress
c : a member of the governing body of a guild
3a : an official charged with special supervisory duties or with the enforcement of specified laws or regulations game warden air raid warden
b : an official in charge of the operation of a prison
c : any of various British officials having designated administrative functions warden of the mint
4a : one of two ranking lay officers of an Episcopal parish
b : any of various British college officials whose duties range from the administration of academic matters to the supervision of student discipline
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Examples of warden in a Sentence

the warden of the cemetery in his role as warden of the school, a principal must provide a safe environment for the students
Recent Examples on the Web One of the people killed is believed to be the church warden, according to Estrosi. — Mike Brest, Washington Examiner, "Woman decapitated and two more killed outside French church in suspected terrorism attack," 29 Oct. 2020 In the 1960s, the warden warned that inmates attempted suicide almost daily. — Tim Prudente, baltimoresun.com, "With regret and satisfaction, Baltimore watches the infamous Maryland Pen tumble down," 25 Sep. 2020 Field warden colleagues who’d seen many surface expressions warned him to watch his step. — ProPublica, "Oil Companies Are Profiting From Illegal Spills. And California Lets Them.," 18 Sep. 2020 Roberts, an 18-year veteran of the DNR warden force, said boating activity was also noticeably up. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: To improve boating safety, life jackets need to be on people's backs, not just at hand," 3 Sep. 2020 Then–Elmore Correctional Facility warden Joseph Headley, who didn’t return Injustice Watch’s requests for comment, was among the first people Favor interviewed. — al, "Alabama prison guards allegedly beat, hog-tied, ignored inmate who later died: Secret report," 7 June 2020 Near the dead eagle, Maine wildlife warden Neal Wykes had found a dead loon chick. — Theresa Machemer, Smithsonian Magazine, "Eagle Stabbed Through the Heart—and a Loon’s to Blame," 29 May 2020 Investigators held out hope she'd be found alive until a state game warden checking fishermen's licenses spotted her body entangled in some brush. — Amber Hunt, The Enquirer, "Backstory: 42 years after Cheryl Thompson's murder, hope remains in coed's case," 27 Oct. 2020 But first, the prisoner must ask the warden for approval. — NBC News, "Thousands of sick federal prisoners sought release as Covid-19 spread. Nearly all were denied.," 7 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'warden.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of warden

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for warden

Middle English wardein, from Anglo-French wardein, gardein, from warder to guard

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Time Traveler for warden

Time Traveler

The first known use of warden was in the 13th century

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Statistics for warden

Last Updated

11 Nov 2020

Cite this Entry

“Warden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warden. Accessed 28 Nov. 2020.

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More Definitions for warden

warden

noun
How to pronounce warden (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of warden

: a person who is in charge of or takes care of something
US : an official who is in charge of a prison
British : any one of various officials at a British college

See the full definition for warden in the English Language Learners Dictionary

warden

noun
war·​den | \ ˈwȯr-dᵊn How to pronounce warden (audio) \

Kids Definition of warden

1 : a person who sees that certain laws are followed game warden
2 : the chief official of a prison

warden

noun
war·​den

Legal Definition of warden

1 : an official charged with special supervisory duties or with the enforcement of specified laws or regulations a game warden
2 : an official in charge of the operation of a prison

History and Etymology for warden

Anglo-French wardein gardein guardian, from warder garder to guard, protect

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More from Merriam-Webster on warden

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for warden

Nglish: Translation of warden for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of warden for Arabic Speakers

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