caretaker

noun

ˈker-ˌtā-kər How to pronounce caretaker (audio)
Definition of caretakernext
1
as in custodian
a person who takes care of a property sometimes for an absent owner hired a caretaker for the mansion during the winter months

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in caregiver
a person who has responsibility for the care of another most primary caretakers of elderly parents are women

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of caretaker Ultimately, if the state steps in with loans, the district would be compelled to cede day-to-day management to an outside caretaker, reducing the district’s board and administration to bystanders. — Dan Walters, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026 On the way out, Ruiz, Carillo-Lopez’s wife, a caretaker for the elderly, thanked a reporter in English for attending the hearing. — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026 Outside the front gate of the home, Watson also fatally shot Parent, an 18-year-old driving away after a visit with the home’s caretaker Willie Garretson. — Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026 The couple at the residence were in their 90s and usually had a caretaker with them. — Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for caretaker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caretaker
  1. custodian
  2. caregiver
  3. keeper
  4. guardian
  5. janitor
  6. warden
Noun
  • More from this past week • A transgender woman who works as a custodian at the University of Kansas was reported for using the wrong restroom under a new state law.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Zuckerberg is referencing OpenAI and Anthropic, which operate on the premise that hyper-smart AI is both inevitable and apocalyptic—and therefore safe only in the hands of the wisest custodians (themselves).
    — Will Oremus, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of custodian
Noun
  • This guarantees that no matter which parent or caregiver is running the afternoon hustle, everyone is in the loop on expectations beyond drop-off and pick-up times.
    — Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 16 Aug. 2026
  • In the two years since the accident, Alicia, 35, has taken on the role of caregiver for her 37-year-old husband, supporting his therapy exercises, managing appointments and advocating for him within the medical system.
    — Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of caregiver
Noun
  • The 23-year-old has been lined up to be the third-choice keeper this season.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Seattle keeper Andrew Thomas had the only save of the match on a shot by Müller in the 52nd minute.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of keeper
Noun
  • As families prepare for the first day of classes, parents and guardians are gathering school supplies, arranging carpools and figuring out how their children will get to and from school.
    — Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The law requires that minors under 16 link their social media accounts to a legal guardian to ensure supervision.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of guardian
Noun
  • The janitor then told nurses of the discovery, and police were notified as required by law.
    — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Timothy didn’t attend college and held several jobs throughout his life, including working as a janitor at Harvard, where Chris went to school.
    — Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 24 July 2026
Definition of janitor
Noun
  • There is no word on when the search for a new warden will commence.
    — Christopher DeRose, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • But to Bill Donnelly, the service’s warden, New Jersey’s fire season, like North America’s, can feel unending.
    — Robert Sullivan, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of warden

Browse Nearby Words

caressing
caretaker
caretakers
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Cite this Entry

“Caretaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caretaker. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on caretaker

Nglish: Translation of caretaker for Spanish Speakers

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