as in walls
a physical object that blocks the way
the only way to prevent motorists from trying to use that unsafe bridge is to put a fence across the road leading to it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in protects
to drive danger or attack away from
had worked as a bodyguard, fencing a number of pop stars at big events
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fences
Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 8 June 2026
Inspect fences and perform any repairs or maintenance, such as reinforcing posts or replacing rotted sections.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
The bus struck an 8-year-old boy with autism and his school aide before smashing into two fences, a police report states.
—Willoughby Mariano, ProPublica, 8 June 2026
After a bout of inclement weather earlier in the day, the fences around the Veuve Clicquot champagne garden at the Nursery End of the ground have fallen over.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 5 June 2026
For years, at least since the devastating Sony Pictures hack in 2014, studios have been pouring big bucks into beefing up their online fences.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
Some officers were outside the fences of the facility.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
The plan is to invest in building and equipment upgrades like fences, bulletproof glass and video recording systems as well as fund more safety officers and their training, according to budget documents.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 2 June 2026
Police try to hold the line as protesters push the fences outside the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 31 May 2026
Noun
Sheriff’s deputies checked that the facility’s fences were intact and secured the perimeter of the prison, which is one of two private prisons in Colorado run by CoreCivic.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 8 June 2026
Inspect fences and perform any repairs or maintenance, such as reinforcing posts or replacing rotted sections.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
The bus struck an 8-year-old boy with autism and his school aide before smashing into two fences, a police report states.
—Willoughby Mariano, ProPublica, 8 June 2026
After a bout of inclement weather earlier in the day, the fences around the Veuve Clicquot champagne garden at the Nursery End of the ground have fallen over.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 5 June 2026
For years, at least since the devastating Sony Pictures hack in 2014, studios have been pouring big bucks into beefing up their online fences.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
Some officers were outside the fences of the facility.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
The plan is to invest in building and equipment upgrades like fences, bulletproof glass and video recording systems as well as fund more safety officers and their training, according to budget documents.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 2 June 2026
Police try to hold the line as protesters push the fences outside the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 31 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fences
Noun
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The walls that aren’t subject to preservation are sheathed in vast Claro walnut panels of a sinuous, almost figurative grain.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
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Textured walls and ceilings were also a flop with design pros in the kitchen.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
14 June 2026
Verb
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That's because federal law generally protects Social Security retirement, disability and survivor benefits from garnishment by most private creditors.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
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Texas also protects a variety of other wildlife, including bats, hawks, owls, whooping cranes and all species of sea turtles, according to TPWD.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The British Government is desperate to make progress in tearing down trade barriers.—
Anand Menon,
Time,
13 June 2026
-
While most Americans now live in states with some form of legal cannabis access, federal law continues to create significant barriers.—
Peter Su,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Verb
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In the case before the court, Mississippi defends late-arriving ballots, noting that the Constitution gives states the right to run their own elections.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
9 June 2026
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Leo simultaneously defends the secrecy of confession as religious freedom, despite critics calling it an abuse shield, and sidesteps a meeting with ex-Opus Dei members amid Argentine investigations.—
Suman Naishadham,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
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Metal barricades surrounded Madison Square Garden and police checkpoints were up around Penn Station as city officials scrambled to prevent a repeat of Wednesday night’s chaos, when dozens of fans were taken into custody after the Knicks’ historic comeback.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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Knicks fans were being guided like livestock through Midtown, with police officers lining the streets and metal barricades blocking off entire sections of the neighborhood.—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Or that its status as a tradition shields it from reproach.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
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In the layer of the upper atmosphere called the stratosphere, the gas creates a protective layer that shields Earthlings from harmful ultraviolet rays.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Morena Baccarin plays The Sorceress, a mysterious being who guards Greyskull Castle.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
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Of course, that assumes Wembanyama guards Towns.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Today Congress took a shortcut in its bid to erase the Roadless Rule, a longstanding conservation policy that safeguards around 45 million acres of national forest land from development.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
10 June 2026
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By saying what the law is and applying it to real-world cases, the Supreme Court safeguards the rule of law.—
Noah Feldman,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fences.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fences. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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