1
as in keepers
a person who takes care of a property sometimes for an absent owner
the custodian made his usual rounds of the building to make sure that everything was OK
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2
as in guardians
a person or group that watches over someone or something
served as custodian of the prisoner until he could be turned over to federal authorities
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3
as in defenders
someone that protects
we must regard ourselves as custodians of the Earth so that its natural resources may be enjoyed by many generations to come
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Recent Examples of custodians
Members include correctional officers, sergeants, maintenance workers, custodians, cafeteria workers and school bus drivers.
—
Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026
In addition to depository audits, gold IRA custodians also maintain records of each account's holdings, creating multiple layers of oversight.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
For retirement accounts, both companies work with third-party custodians to administer precious metals IRAs and manage storage requirements.
—Nick Perry, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Of the 221 positions being cut — which include paraeducators, assistants, clerks, custodians, special-education staff, food service staff and more — 88 are already vacant, the district said.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
Classified employees — or non-teaching staff who support school operations such instructional aids, paraprofessionals, custodians, food service workers and bus drivers — will not hold a collective sympathy strike, although individual members are legally allowed to do so.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Winners will serve as island custodians, agreeing to basic stewardship responsibilities while enjoying peace, nature, and nearby local communities.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 25 Feb. 2026
His members include special education and teacher aides, cafeteria workers, custodians, gardeners and bus drivers.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
And so the custodians became irate when photographs emerged of the actor Sarah Pidgeon, who plays Bessette in Murphy’s show, looking all wrong on set.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026
In addition to depository audits, gold IRA custodians also maintain records of each account's holdings, creating multiple layers of oversight.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
For retirement accounts, both companies work with third-party custodians to administer precious metals IRAs and manage storage requirements.
—Nick Perry, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Of the 221 positions being cut — which include paraeducators, assistants, clerks, custodians, special-education staff, food service staff and more — 88 are already vacant, the district said.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
Classified employees — or non-teaching staff who support school operations such instructional aids, paraprofessionals, custodians, food service workers and bus drivers — will not hold a collective sympathy strike, although individual members are legally allowed to do so.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Winners will serve as island custodians, agreeing to basic stewardship responsibilities while enjoying peace, nature, and nearby local communities.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 25 Feb. 2026
His members include special education and teacher aides, cafeteria workers, custodians, gardeners and bus drivers.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
And so the custodians became irate when photographs emerged of the actor Sarah Pidgeon, who plays Bessette in Murphy’s show, looking all wrong on set.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for custodians
Noun
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Two snakes brought to her school for a Lyceum program got out of their glass boxes, sending students scrambling to stand on chairs, keepers racing to find the creatures, and teachers trying to hustle kids out of the auditorium.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
-
In the engine room, Hoff spoke of how some keepers went mad because of the foghorn blasting every few seconds.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The best thing parents and guardians can do to avoid these exposures is to lock these substances away and have discussions about the risks of using drugs like nicotine and cannabis, Campbell said.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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Spring break is finally here in Oklahoma, and parents and guardians are looking for ways to keep kids busy until school returns.—
Cheyenne Derksen,
Oklahoman,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Senior Peyton Johnson is one of top defenders in the state.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
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Anderson’s low shot snuck past four defenders and was deflected before getting past a diving Smith into the bottom left side of the net.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The documents also detail the scale of the personnel required to build and manage the temporary lock-up, from janitors to laundry workers to cooks, translators to legal case managers to IT staff.—
Kate Payne,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Jobs, like cashiers and janitors, are least exposed to AI, while secretaries and administrative assistants are most impacted, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.—
Jessica Ma,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has confirmed the death of Larijani, along with his son Morteza Larijani and the head of his office, Alireza Bayat, as well as several guards, the Associated Press reported.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
18 Mar. 2026
-
The only guards on duty today are hat-tipping doormen ushering guests into snow-white corridors lined with gold.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Old bed sheets are the perfect textile protectors, keeping your couch looking and smelling fresh for longer.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The Portugal native has started all 34 games this season for the Horned Frogs, emerging as one of the top rim protectors in the Big 12 with plenty of upside.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Lamont administration has also argued that the program actually creates a burden for some enrollees, who are responsible for recruiting their own caretakers and may find that overwhelming.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The new owners see themselves as caretakers.—
Abby Dodge,
Miami Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The wardens said the fish was flagged after a metal-detecting wand alerted to the potential presence of a foreign object.—
CBS Texas Staff,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
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Staff contacted the wardens, who conducted a necropsy and found three weights in the fish’s stomach.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Custodians.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/custodians. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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